Enterprise Books

Anybody who has enjoyed other writings by Alexander Skutch on the subject of neotropical birds will also appreciate this book. After all, where else can you find interesting and informative writing about these two large and important families of neotropical birds? Not only is there a wealth of data concerning behavior, habitat, etc - but it is all presented in Skutch's very personal style, and intermingled with intimate anecdotes that really put you right there in the forest with that Bicolored Antbird, etc. Read this book before birding in lowland rainforest in Central or South America, and you will be rewarded with a much greater understanding of what you are witnessing. If you haven't yet, also read "A Birdwatcher's Adventures in Central America", and "A Naturalist in Costa Rica", as well as "Birds Asleep" - all by Alexander Skutch.

Anybody who has enjoyed other writings by Alexander Skutch on the subject of neotropical birds will also appreciate this book. After all, where else can you find interesting and informative writing about these two large and important families of neotropical birds? Not only is there a wealth of data concerning behavior, habitat, etc - but it is all presented in Skutch's very personal style, and intermingled with intimate anecdotes that really put you right there in the forest with that Bicolored Antbird, etc. Read this book before birding in lowland rainforest in Central or South America, and you will be rewarded with a much greater understanding of what you are witnessing. If you haven't yet, also read "A Birdwatcher's Adventures in Central America", and "A Naturalist in Costa Rica", as well as "Birds Asleep" - all by Alexander Skutch.

Anybody who has enjoyed other writings by Alexander Skutch on the subject of neotropical birds will also appreciate this book. After all, where else can you find interesting and informative writing about these two large and important families of neotropical birds? Not only is there a wealth of data concerning behavior, habitat, etc - but it is all presented in Skutch's very personal style, and intermingled with intimate anecdotes that really put you right there in the forest with that Bicolored Antbird, etc. Read this book before birding in lowland rainforest in Central or South America, and you will be rewarded with a much greater understanding of what you are witnessing. If you haven't yet, also read "A Birdwatcher's Adventures in Central America", and "A Naturalist in Costa Rica", as well as "Birds Asleep" - all by Alexander Skutch.

Anybody who has enjoyed other writings by Alexander Skutch on the subject of neotropical birds will also appreciate this book. After all, where else can you find interesting and informative writing about these two large and important families of neotropical birds? Not only is there a wealth of data concerning behavior, habitat, etc - but it is all presented in Skutch's very personal style, and intermingled with intimate anecdotes that really put you right there in the forest with that Bicolored Antbird, etc. Read this book before birding in lowland rainforest in Central or South America, and you will be rewarded with a much greater understanding of what you are witnessing. If you haven't yet, also read "A Birdwatcher's Adventures in Central America", and "A Naturalist in Costa Rica", as well as "Birds Asleep" - all by Alexander Skutch.

Anybody who has enjoyed other writings by Alexander Skutch on the subject of neotropical birds will also appreciate this book. After all, where else can you find interesting and informative writing about these two large and important families of neotropical birds? Not only is there a wealth of data concerning behavior, habitat, etc - but it is all presented in Skutch's very personal style, and intermingled with intimate anecdotes that really put you right there in the forest with that Bicolored Antbird, etc. Read this book before birding in lowland rainforest in Central or South America, and you will be rewarded with a much greater understanding of what you are witnessing. If you haven't yet, also read "A Birdwatcher's Adventures in Central America", and "A Naturalist in Costa Rica", as well as "Birds Asleep" - all by Alexander Skutch.

I was familiar with Dan Heisman's articles on a popular website, but this is the first book of his that I've come across. Like his articles, it is intended for chess players from beginner to average club level. Also like his articles, it is characterized by clear and logical writing, with well chosen content reflecting his vast experience as a chess teacher. One of the things that separate this book from other tactical books is that it covers what Heisman calls the Counting tactic. This refers to positions where a piece is attacked and defended a number of times, and the player must count whether a sequence of captures leads to a net material gain. It also covers the possibility that the defense is inadequate due to defending pieces being more valuable than the capturing pieces. For a lot of the kids I coach, this is one of the main tactical issues they face in every game.

My rating is just above 1000 and this book has perfectly organized presentation on the common tactical techniques that I need to improve my mid-game. It may be too basic for 1500-rated players, but for me it is the best chess book I have ever read.

I am relatively new to chess study, and found most puzzle books just a little too hard to really deal with. I bought the Reinfeld books and just felt lost.

Then I saw a review of this book and decided to give it a go. MAN, has it helped me. Heisman gives a wonderful primer on each type of tactic complete with a section of puzzles just on that tactic. Then he goes into a section of checkmates, and a wonderful (and difficult) section on defensive tactics.

Finally he wraps it up with a long section of puzzles that cover all the various subjects in the book. This is a wonderful book for those who are new to chess tactics and feel a little overwhelmed by the various puzzle books. I know the book is working because while going through this book I would get one of my Reinfeld books and open to a random puzzle and more times than not be able to solve it! Before, I was just staring cluelessly at the Reinfeld puzzles.

This a great book written by someone who takes education very seriously! Highly recommended for those who need work on basic tactical understanding.

I'm around a 1200-1400 player trying to improve. Most chess books are unfortunately excruciating to read. With the exception of Logical Chess : Move by Move, most books are a chore to sit through. I've had a few other books on tactics, but just working through problem after problem with no explanation gets old fast. "Why is the move that I thought about a bad one?" "Doesn't this move win as well?" "What are the basic patterns of a certain mate or tactic?" These are all questions that most of the books don't answer, but Heisman's book does! There's text and even essays on certain themes and tactics, to make sure that you understand what they are and how to use them. This book includes Double threats vs double attacks, opening traps, checkmates, defensive tactics, how to avoid tactical self destruction, as well as the usual removal of the guard, forks, skewers, pins, discovered checks, and trapped pieces. It's all there with more than adequate explanations ,as well as helpful tips and mini articles scattered throughout. This is definitely easy to read and that makes a huge difference. It doesn't matter if a book has 10 million problems if it bores you to tears going through it because you'll never pick it up. I'll be lloking for some more Heisman books later on. Great work !

As a USCF 1790-rated player, i bought this book for a quick tactics refresher. I read the book, solving all the puzzles in a few days (while noting major errors on examples 2-70 [1...Kh3] and 2-120 [1.Ne4#]) The #1 greatest tactics primer is still the immensely enjoyable book, Winning Chess: How To See Three Moves Ahead. This book by Heisman not as enjoyable, but a bit easier and therefore perhaps an even better starting point than "Winning Chess". Also worthy is Chess Tactics (Batsford Chess Book).

Especially valuable for the improving player are Heisman's early sections on "counting" and piece safety, because proper evaluation of a tactic is impossible without accurately tallying the "body count" of a series of exchanges. (while being mindful of any "zwischenzug", of course!) The only other book that competently covers "counting" ideas is the VASTLY underrated Lasker's Manual of Chess, though Lasker labels the idea something else that escapes me at the moment.

Make no mistake, B2B:T is about how to win material. There were times when i would think twice about snagging a certain pawn because i imagined it would grant the opponent some sort of extra piece activity (counterplay), but on checking the answer i saw that Heisman's comment was only, "wins a pawn." That is probably well enough, as the book's intended audience is usually afraid of phantom threats when they ought to simply win the material, and usually in a game i'd probably end up taking the pawn anyway. There is a short section on checkmates, but it is insufficient in itself. You will NEED The Art of the Checkmate and (secondarily) How to Beat Your Dad at Chess (Gambit Chess) to complete your basic study of checkmates.

This book is full of practical pointers and wisdom, many of which go a long way toward instilling objectivity in a player rather than emotions like hope, fear, greed, overconfidence which invariably spell poor results at *any* level.

This is a solid & worthy 4-star book for its stated audience (under 1500). Higher-rated players can read it with very little time investment (while unfortunately paying the same purchase price), so the book can benefit a wide range of players.

This is a great conceptual book that is helping me understand what to think about while brainstorming and planning. It is finely written and easy to read. I would not say this book is full of tools to use. So, you won't find hundreds of templates and samples, rather it thoroughly explains what is important and tells you why. I am planning two initial readings, one to get the gist of it and a second to do the work it recommends. I feel this book will be useful again and again but more as a guide rather than a toolkit.

This is an excellent tool for potential and new business owners. It is a guide that makes sense and is straight to the point. For those who have already started their own business, it is an excellent reference to keep at your finger tips just incase you run into any obstacles.

For anybody who wants to raise money for their new business, this book is a must read.

I am toying with the idea of starting a IT consulting company and this book has forced me to really think things through. It is not easy to get a succesful venture started and it helps if you do all the hard work before you meet with potential investors.

OK - so you want to start a business but you do not have a Mickey Goldmill (Rocky Balboa's trainer in the Rocky movies) in your corner.

Well, you can get the next best thing -- Ed Rogoff's "Bankable Business Plans!"

Rogoff's "Bankable Business Plans" guides you through the fundamentals of building a plan, illuminates some all too common errors as well as uncommon successes, provides useful exercises to sharpen your message, and, in general, challenges you to take a disciplined and comprehensive approach to pursuing your dream of starting your own business.

Writing a business plan is like training to be a boxer. You need a plan and you have to work at. So fire up the laptop, fire up your heart by watching the old Rocky trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O8xoN9NSzw
, (it's your dream after all), open up Rogoff's book and start typing! Good Luck!

I am in the middle of starting my own small business. I bought 4 different books on business plan writing and this one is the one that I kept referring to. It is by far the best of the bunch. It's very readable, and it is organized so well that I was able to use it as a reference book while I was working on my plan. I also used their online tool too, which helped me generate preliminary financials to take to the bank (and to my now first investor). Overall, if you are at any point of the seemingly daunting task of writing a business plan, this book is the best one I found to get you through it.

One of the pleasures of listening to a good sermon is to hear one of the Bible's great stories explained in many dimensions and then applied to good rules for daily living. Ms. Hill has the talent to create such a sermon, and your understanding of how Jesus calmed the storm (Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-40 and Luke 8:22-25) will be expanded by reading this book to build your relationship with Jesus.

If you don't remember or know the story, let me summarize it for you. Jesus was crossing the Sea of Galilee by boat with His disciples, several of whom were experienced fishermen. While Jesus slept, a storm rose up and the disciples feared for their lives as the boat filled with water. They awakened Jesus in fear, and He calmed the winds and turbulent water. This demonstration of His power helped them to understand who He was. "Who is this man, that even the winds and waves obey him?" (Luke 8:25 NLT)

Ms. Hill points out that our lives, too, will experience storms. But like this story, Jesus is at our side. We have only to turn to Him in faith and the storms will have no effect. Why do we experience storms? Ms. Hill wisely points out that storms are there to help us build our faith. When we listen in faith, we will hear Jesus and appreciate His peace. With faith, we can banish the storms in Jesus' name.

The book nicely bridges the gap between those who doubt God because there are storms and the true lessons to be drawn from those storms.

Ms. Hill is well acquainted with Scripture and quotes often from the relevant texts. Each chapter ends with verses to build your faith in the right way. If you are interested in learning more about the Bible, Ms. Hill offers an Internet-based ministry at her website which is referred to in this book.

One of the best parts of this book is the way she explores creating both inner and outer peace. Many people are more troubled in their minds than they are in reality. This book can help.

This book caused me to really pause and read carefully. Hill paints a beautiful picture of our lives as a storm and how Jesus is truly in control - even in the midst of the storm. Filled with Scripture, this book will encourage you and draw you nearer to God.

Cherie Hill's book, "Be Still" is a wonderfully written book that made me reflect on my own life, and realize how much I truly need God. After reading Cherie's book I discovered that I have not allowed God to work His will in my own life. How could I have allowed this to happen? I guess I have taken God for granted.

About half way through the book it hit me hard - Bang! Like a freight train derailing off the tracks, screeching to a roaring stop. I had been ignoring God for my life because I knew He would always be there for me. It's like living smack dab on the ocean with a view most people would die for. After ten or twenty years of waking up and your eyes seeing that magnificent coastline, it just doesn't seem that spectacular anymore. It's just the beach for those who live there, but for those who don't live there, it's a vacation!

Cherie said it so well. We are powerless to calm our own storms ourselves. We need Jesus! Sure, we can dampen the storms under our own understanding, but is that what God wants His children to do? It is all about having faith enough to let God deal with the trials and tribulations in our life. Let Christ calm your storms.

If you are going through a storm in your life, this book is a must read! If you're not going through a storm in your life, this book is a must read for future reference. It offers excellent scripture based material as well as encouragement and hope. I recommend this book for Christian's of all ages and those who are seeking truth, wisdom and solace for their life.

For anyone thinking about purchasing Cherie Hill's book, "Be Still", let me just say this: Don't hesitate!

This book has been such a blessing. Storms come in all shapes and sizes, but God and His infinite wisdom and power reigns supreme over all storms. Cherie manages to organize one of the best manuscripts concerning the need for God's children to trust that their Heavenly Father is indeed interested, concerned, and intervening in their lives on a daily basis.

"Be Still - Let Jesus Calm Your Storms" combines intellectual common sense, Biblical truths, Biblical scriptures, and an author dedicated to helping people who have suffering in their lives.

I have to admit that I did not have the firm grasp that I thought did around the "Jesus Calms the Storm" story found in the Bible ( see Luke 8:22-25), but Cherie Hill has opened my eyes a bit wider. Her ability to seek out scriptural truths and combine them with earthly situations and solutions is uncanny. God has truly blessed this woman with a special talent for this type of ministry.

So if you've experienced trails, tribulations and storms in your life, this is a book you will want to take a look at. If you are currently going through a struggle, a test, or a storm, this is a book you should own. And if you are sure there is bound to be heartache, pain, or a storm in your future, this book can definitely help you through it.

"Be Still - Let Jesus Calm Your Storms" is an amazing addition to any bookshelf. Buy a copy for yourself, buy a copy for a friend, or leave a copy somewhere for a stranger.

See ya next review!

Dan Blankenship
Author of THE RUNNING GIRL

"The peace that surpasses all understanding is a gift from God and is ours for the taking. Yet we must pursue it. He wants us to find comfort in knowing that, if we allow Him, He will help us rise above our storms." ~ Cherie Hill

Cherie Hill longed for a deeper relationship with her creator and in a time of conflict, asked God to heal her life. The way this was accomplished was through giving others the gift of an open heart who listened and cared and reached out to help them in their greatest time of need.

After designing a website as a place of prayer, people opened their hearts to his safe place within a world of storms and through an outpouring of love, lives were changed and souls were nurtured with renewed hope and faith. Her book teaches you how to:

Understand that God is still in control
Learn to seek the purpose of the conflict
Find peace by developing a sense of patience
Develop the ability to overcome the storm so you can take on new challenges

Cherie Hill has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and is pursuing a Certificate in Biblical Counseling, but her greatest accomplishment is making a difference in the lives of people who are in need of human caring, a few warm words of encouragement and an open heart. She is now a regular guest on talk radio speaking about issues like "The Transformative Power of Truth" and is also a columnist for online magazines.

As someone who has gone through many awakening moments in one short lifetime, I can say that without people like Cherie Hill, I wouldn't even be writing this review. All of us have gone through dark stormy times that have threatened to take us under emotionally and financially. We can at times think we are alone in a storm, but God will send peace and then give us the strength to go on to pass along God's love to the world.

"Unfortunately, it usually takes a raging storm to restore and reveal what is really important in life and get us back in line with what God's will is for our lives." ~Cherie Hill

I can highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a fulfilling life purpose or wants to read about how the person living next door is changing the world for good! Sometimes the best thing you can do when you are in need, is to reach out to someone else and heal yourself through the gift of giving yourself even when you are the one in need.

As we all take turns being the one in need and the angel helping those in need, this book brings comfort to us all through a variety of scripture passages and Cherie Hill's innate wisdom brought forth from her own life experience. Be Still is the comforting book you have been looking for, to give to a friend or to read to nurture your own soul.

"God uses our storms to prepare us for the incredible blessings that he has planned for us. Each storm will bring with it a new way for us to shed our worldly nature and prove our faith to God." ~ Cherie Hill

~The Rebecca Review

I became a fan of Jon Ortner's incredible work when I was given a copy of Where Every Breath is a Prayer (Abbeville Press: 2001). This new book entirely on Buddha is a fantastic revival of the essence of Buddhism. The book has a Foreword by Jon giving insight into his motivations and intentions, which brings his heart into the process shining brightly. The Preface by Kornfield is a must read for anyone new to Buddhist spirituality, as it is clear and concise, showing the meaning of Enlightenment (a much overused word). Then the feast begins with Jon's extraordinary photo journalism leading you on a tour of Asian Buddhist places of pilgrimage. Wow! The combination of photos and sayings from Siddhartha the Great Lord Buddha, make this a perfect gift for all your Buddhist friends, or a gentle introduction to the life of this Avatar. Great work Mr. Ortner!

May all beings be happy.
May all beings be free.

Laurent

This book of beautifully presented Buddha images captures the true ambience that surrounds the temples.

This book is so delightful. The photographs from all over the Bhuddist world will inspire and calm you.

The printing is great, and it will look great on your bookshelf or coffee table.

Everyone who comes over our house gravitates right to this wonderful book.

Do not hesitate to add this to your Eastern collection. You will not regret it.

The Buddha's message sends shivers down ancient spines, moving them towards a vast creativity spanning thousands of years. The supreme manifestations of that spiritual inspiration, statues and temples, found in sometimes remote parts of Asia, are energetically accessed and photographed with consummate skill, an unerring eye, and understanding. Glowing with a radiant cover, this is a compelling invitation to contemplate the spiritual essence within...the beating heart of Buddhism, speaking to our desire for a more compassionate and reverent existence. Can you tell I am quite taken with this beautiful chunk of a book? Whether or not you think of yourself as a Buddhist, a seeker, or even a spiritual person, you have to admire these incredible images and the spirit that infuses them.

Like a precious stone. This book is small while its value is great. I suspect they made it that size to keep it very affordable and portable. After the first time I thumbed through it I already had a list of friends that I knew would love to have it. The translations of the verses from the Dhammapada are stunning. The wisdom deep and simple. One need not be Buddhist to feel the depth and draw from the wisdom.

But the real luster and light that make up the "facets" of this particular precious stone are the photographs of the Buddhas and Buddhists. The lengths that Ortner must have gone to, the rareness of the images (many of the Buddhas in this book are in places where very few outsiders are allowed to go and in places very difficult to get to) are a tribute--an offering if you will--to his own devotion toward achieving and sharing the incredible beauty he seems so greatly drawn to.

It is our good fortune that this book, filled with radiance and simplicity, is so affordable. Like the gift of prayer flags, both giver and receiver will feel blessed.

The book is a concise compilation of case studies that encompass a myriad of experiences faced by companies and cultures in their pursuit of reaping the benefits of e-commerce. The cases provide a global focus on cultural challenges both geographic and organizational, a sampling of various information technology considerations, and customer interface and acceptance factors.
Two of the cases explore cultural issues in Latin and Asian societies. Their explosive demand for IT outpaced the substantial infrastructure shortfalls. Reliability of telecommunications systems, the lack of electronic payment methods, and weak processing infrastructures are just a few of the areas discussed.
The study of the Texas Instrument implementation and management of an e-commerce enabled enterprise information system clearly describes the paramount concern for the development of a strategic focus within the organization, the need for top management support, and most importantly the development of sound business processes. The significance of business process development is explored often throughout the cases starting with the first chapter where a description of the dynamic evolution of an e-commerce entity is taken from the concept stage all the way through implementation.
Finally, throughout all the cases it is clear that customer focus and direct customer interface during the development and implementation are key success factors in reaping the benefits of an e-commerce endeavor.
The variety of cases maintain your interest and offer a comprehensive collection of experiences that are sure to alleviate most start up and operational issues.

The big boom being over, many are apparently of the opinion that the Internet does not matter--at least on a global level. Cases on Worldwide E-Commerce gives many examples to the contrary. It shows interesting and instructive examples of how organizations are making use of the Internet and networking technologies to help them carve away at markets and improve operations.

"Cases on Worldwide E-Commerce: Theory in Action" is a great read for both practitioners and scholars. Because of the book's unique perspective on this timely topic, my students will find that it is required reading in my next E-Commerce class.

"Cases on Worldwide Electronic Commerce: Theory in Action" is a good read. It is very useful for both scholars and practitioners. I intend to use this book in my next Electronic Commerce class because it gives the latest perspectives on this dynamic topic.

This is a very worthy book that amply describes best practices for achieving a competitive edge in eCommerce. Dr. Raisinghani's book illustrates the methods used by industry to transform strategic plans for eCommerce into viable business operations. While written as an academic text, the book none-the-less offers insight into the practical nature of how different organizations went about leveraging their respective IT investments in order to provide superior customer value, cycle time reductions, and expansion of their operations to a global market. This book is highly beneficial in both the academic and business sectors...very useful and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in the growth (or study) of eCommerce.

This meditation CD is what every Christian needs to relax and let go as they fully connect to the presence of God. Rhonda's soothing voice brings deep relaxation to the mind, body and spirit. Listen over and over again and feel yourself becoming calmer and more centered in God's word.

A Moment of Peace: Relaxation for Parents Audiobook

A Moment of Peace: Relaxation for Children

Very soothing and directional. I think that taking out the time to still
my mind has helped me to make more concrete decisions. I would highly recommend this product to anyone needing more mental and spiritual clarity.
Happy Meditating!
Greg - http://www.househub.com

For years I have heard Christians say that you will fall away from God if you engage in meditation. Their words never sat right because the Psalms are full of verses talking about meditation on an aspect of God. I have searched for different tools to help me get closer to God. Knowing I should meditate but not really knowing how. I think Rhonda has done a fantastic job in producing this Cd. After listening to it I found myself saying 20 minutes can't be up. I want more. Wanting more of God is a great place to be.

AnnaMarie

There is so much to combat in our thoughts that tend to be worriful and negetive. Rhonda's tapes help create new thought patterns steeped in Scripture and soothing to the nerves and mind. Meditation isn't just for those of eastern religions...meditation on God's affirming Word is very much a Christian practice. David meditated often on the precepts and wonders of God. In the crazy world we live in, these tapes help to bring some peace of mind and much needed solace.

This meditation collection CD series produced and inspired by Rhonda Jones, is not only a remarkable achievement, but also brings power and presence from above; and strength to one's spiritual journey! Rhonda's award-winning "2007 Best Holistic & Healthy Website" proves the author's extraordinary talent and abilities through the anointed-audio compilation series that truly comes to life through the resurrection of the holy spirit from within. More power-on-high to you, Rhonda!

The Bible clearly states through Rom 12:2 "And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God". This scripture without question, brings to light the true meaning outlined in Rhonda's meditation CD series-that of, renewing--your--mind! As the bible speaks, ".......meditate on the word of God day and night.....". literally takes the believer "a step above" into that spiritual realm of truth-- by entering into that secret chamber, holiness of holy place by means of meditation-day and night, results in stimulating and clearing one's mind to hear clearly from God. In opening up our minds, the bible further says ".....presenting our bodies as living sacrifices..holy...." to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, we, as individuals, would be able to open up to HIS callings for our lives, establish a strong spiritual foundation in presenting our "total bodies" as sacrificial lambs through (self) meditation.

The author, heeding to God's calling in her life, ultimately captivates and catapults her audience minds into "His Holy Presence" -spiritual unconsciousness--by her smooth, articulate, resonating voice, which is not only transparent in narrative form, but soothing to one's palette in a very personable, delightful way. All (4 CD volumes) speaks to the trials of life and guides you into the art of meditation in specific topics with quoted scriptures throughout. We must literally Lay in Him & in the Power of His might to absorb His truths and it will comfort our walk:

...Vol 1 ..Negative Thoughts... - When satan attacks, we can quench those fiery darts with the covering of His blood by entering into His Holy sanctuary...-Prayer and Meditation!

Vol 2 ...Restlessness.....-- Asking God to intervene and give you rest and reassurance.... " " !

Vol 3 ...Eliminate Stress.... - Let go of the stresses of life and let Christ fill those voids.... " "

Vol 4...Divine Delay... -- Let us walk by faith and not by sight, believe on the blessings to flow... " "


I personally would encourage anyone to take advantage of all four audio CD's that will, undoubtedly, be a blessing and encouragement in one's walk with Christ. It will minister to your soul, relax your mind and speak to your spirit! It will give you the confidence and boldness you need to face life's most difficult challenges and obstacles we confront daily. When you are going thru adversity or need quiet time, take a moment to drop in a CD, specific to your situation, and see the POWER of the Holy Spirit transform your mind in the mist of your circumstance!

Thank-you so much Rhonda, for empowering me to overcome my challenges of life through "quiet times' before Christ, through meditation. I give you a 6+ rating! May God richly bless you and continue to shower His blessings on you! Continue on doing what you do best!

Over the years, I have read many books and written reviews of some that attracted my attention for various reasons. Recently, I discovered a book series that uses historical events and key persons to illustrate concepts and initiatives that could apply to business. The series, Lessons from History, is the creation of a consultant, Mark Kozak-Holland, and the intention of the series is to examine complex business problems by applying lessons from history. He uses historical case studies to demonstrate how challenges were overcome, offering a unique view for business and technology management to apply the lessons of history to their situations.

The book, Churchill's Adaptive Enterprise: Lessons for Business Today, brings the reader to the late 1930's and early 1940's with descriptions of the world situation and the state of politics and lack of preparedness for World War II that existed in Great Britain. When Churchill became Prime Minister in May 1940, his country was facing the onslaught of Nazi Germany alone, France and the Low Countries had fallen under Germany's control, and Britain was poised to be Hitler's next victim. As we know, Britain survived, it regained strength and allied itself with the United States and the Soviet Union to defeat Hitler and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. The questions "How did he do that?", "What were the actions and practices that enabled Churchill to emerge as one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century?" are the subject of Kozak-Holland's book.

This book is fascinating reading, despite the fact that the outcome of WWII is known to the reader. Kozak-Holland explores Churchill and his Cabinet and other advisors' actions to show how, under tremendous pressure, the Prime Minister transformed his organization to the modern-day version of an Adaptive Enterprise. An Adaptive Enterprise modifies the way an organization behaves, how it addresses and responds to change, giving it a competitive advantage.

With no room for error, the use of organizational adaptation, business practices and current technology, combined with the inspiration of the leaders, gave Britain and the allies the opportunity to turn the tide of the war to their favor.

In reading about the practices, technologies, and organization that Churchill established, we can see the emergence of governance and decision-making concepts well before they are widely believed to have been invented. Although the teams created centers of excellence for code-breaking, military command and executive oversight (Bletchley Park, Bentley Priory, Storey's Gate, respectively), the overriding need was for data and process governance, so that these centers could operate both separately and coordinated, depending on the need. These centers handled large amounts of disparate data from multiple sources, and the executive committee needed consolidated data in real time to make immensely important decisions. Developing a data governance approach and framework was essential and it had to be implemented in an unbelievably short time, with the future of Great Britain (and the rest of the world) hanging in the balance.

Churchill's need was for competitive intelligence, and the data supporting that effort was required to be as accurate and timely as possible, given the limitations of technology that existed in 1940. Data quality was deemed to be of utmost importance, and many analysts were employed to perform the data validation and meta data management tasks that are part of the modern data steward's activities. Validated raw data was given to leading analysts ("chief data stewards") for some synthesis and applied to answer the executive committee's questions and address challenges that erupted by the minute. At Storey's Gate, a sophisticated control center was created. It tracked real-time events from all theatres of the war, showing data identified as essential indicators for the allies' performance. The WWII version of an executive dashboard, the command center / map room became so important to Churchill that it was recreated for travel (train and airplane). When Franklin Roosevelt saw the traveling version on Churchill's first visit to the US, he had a similar center created. Eventually, the two command centers were aligned and governance was given the highest priority, enabling the fateful collaboration between Britain and her former colony (SHAPE - Supreme Allied Headquarters - Europe).

Can history teach lessons for modern business and technology management? Quoting Kozar-Holland, "Churchill's use of executive dashboards, real-time event models, institutionalized decision-making, and competitive intelligence analysis helped turn the course of history. It was the first time that intelligence (and governance) had been used on such a scale, across an enterprise and in such a strategic capacity." Modern business may not be engaged in the epic struggle that was World War II, but the use of concepts such as governance, and practices from historical events can give some perspective on their application in 21st century organizations.

There must be some kind of way out of here say the joker to the thief.
-- Jimi Hendrix

Today's business gurus evangelize the benefits of story like a TV evangelist on a book tour. Still, there are few authors who use story to teach business strategy. Enter Mark Kozak-Holland who uses the stories of history to teach the lessons of the adaptive enterprise. Long after you've read and forgotten strategy concepts taught in standard text books, you'll find yourself remembering and applying adaptive enterprise concepts through the stories in Churchill's Adaptive Enterprise; stories that breathe life into the sense and respond organization.

In Churchill's Adaptive Enterprise, author Mark Kozak-Holland shows how to create an adaptive enterprise by using lessons from World War II. In spite of Britain's stunning defeat at the Battle of Dunkirk, and her subsequent limited resources to wage war, Churchill was able to stave off German occupation and give America time to join the war, by making an entire country agile.

The author writes of how the German Luftwaffe believed they were on the verge of wiping out Britain's Royal Air force, and yet, Churchill, through a sense-and-respond network was able to make 50 British fighters seem like hundreds, and demoralize the German air command. Indeed, Churchill had his watchtower.

From a story perspective, this book is brilliant. First, the author didn't try to make up his own story, or worse, create a fable to teach the adaptive enterprise. No, that could of been a disaster. Why? Because Churchill's stand against Hitler is an archetype that is almost impossible to improved upon. I mean, even Spielberg, if he wanted to... would find it difficult to produce a better protagonist and antagonist than Churchill and Hitler. And that's why Saving Private Ryan is the story that it is. It's a story within the context of a larger story.

Second, the book provides a business case for agile.

Finally, if you're brilliant, you'll tell the Churchill stories to each other, so you change your corporate culture. And when your customers start to brag about your products and how you run circles around the competition, you will have differentiated your product in a way that others can't match. What's more, you'll now have your own stories to tell each other and new employees, keeping your adaptive organization alive and well.

To be successful in life or war, you need to be flexible... adaptive. Churchill was a socially adept animal -- He knew how to change and evoke change from others. Within Churchill lived a transformation machine. His mad writing skills were not bestowed upon him like the Queen's crown. In grammar school, when the teacher criticized his writing, he studied and practiced grammar patterns for hours. Later in life, when asked about his facile writing skills, he credited the grammar exercises for his renowned ability to turn a phrase.

Yep, Churchill was one hep, adaptive cat. When others were silent, he gave inspiring speeches; when others embraced rigid processes, he created agile frameworks; when others worried about the fate of England and fled to Canada, he calmed the masses; when others sought shelter during the bombings, he ventured boldly into the firestorm.

I truly believe that in order to move forward, we have to look back at our history. I believe the same is true of business. One of the best ways to solve problems and create innovative strategies is to look at those in our past who succeeded in these areas.

Churchill is a model for adaptation and problem solving. His business was Britain which was faced with two overwhelmingly difficult challenges: keep the British economy stable while also keeping the country safe from German invasion. In order to be successful in these endeavours, the leader had to focus his resources wisely to stay one step ahead of the enemy.

Despite it's usefulness as a model for business problem solving, Churchill's Adaptive Enterprise is a somewhat difficult book to read. The text is filled with IT and business terms so the average business person will need to flip to the glossary in the back of the book frequently to fully comprehend each concept. Moreover, many of the historical examples require somewhat in-depth knowledge of Churchill's exploits. I suggest reading the appendix at the back of the book before moving onto the regular text.

In May of 1940, England faced enormous odds. Since the previous September, the German armies had handily conquered Poland, Denmark, Norway, Holland, Belgium and the combined armies of Britain and France. France had surrendered and although the bulk of the British army was rescued from Dunkirk, nearly all of their military equipment was now in German hands. Furthermore, the Italians had entered the war on the German side and the German alliance with Russia seemed firm, as both sides had so much to gain by maintaining it.
Now essentially devoid of significant allies and low on supplies, the only hope the British had to carry out the fight was to make more efficient use of what they had. Therefore, the British carried out one of the greatest improvements in managerial operations ever achieved. Winston Churchill selected the right people for all positions, relying almost solely on talent rather than political or social position. His only concessions to political necessity were in allowing some leaders of the political opposition to have high government posts. For example, Clement Attlee was appointed Deputy Prime Minister during the war years. The direness of the times allowed Churchill and his appointees' great range in their actions and power. Fortunately for the British side, they were men of sense and effectiveness.
In this book, the actions of Churchill and his wartime staff are used as a set of demonstration cases for how effective adaptation can be in the business world. Despite the serious differences in the circumstances, after all, no business staff is really battling for its very life, the analogies work. Kozak-Holland does an excellent job in toning the circumstances down to a set of fundamental business circumstances. It has often been said that we must learn from history, this is a book where several lessons can be learned from history and in this case not all of the lessons are direct.
As Churchill showed, a strong will is necessary but not sufficient for success. You must be willing to delegate responsibility and be willing to let the people do their job without micromanaging. When the circumstances warrant it, you must be willing to fire people and also to hold the line against firing people even though others believe that they should be removed.
There is a great deal of business management knowledge that can be learned from this book. It has been said many times that the modern global business competition is just the next generation of warfare. While that is certainly debatable, the points of the debate are not about the fact, just about how far the analogy can be extended. As can be seen here, there are many similarities between modern total war between nations and competition between businesses.

Reviewed by William E. Cooper for Reader Views (6/06)

Mark Kozak-Holland has written one of the best and most fascinating management, leadership, and business books I've read. As a retired Chief of Police with two graduate degrees, and one who teaches graduate school courses, as well as being the author of my own book "Leading Beyond Tradition," I found this to be a "can't put it down" book. It is a literal page turner, comparing Winston Churchill's incredibly complex set of problems at the outset of and during World War II with today's management issues, then providing legitimate and very well thought out solutions.

It is about the tremendous change the world and our organizations are facing and the need for being agile and adapting to frequently changing conditions. It is about getting the right people in, the wrong people out, and the right people in the right places. It is about having a vision and a strategy for achieving it; it is about change management. The examples used are incredibly profound and clearly applicable to today's business needs and environment. This book is a must-read and should not only be in every manager's library, but should be a university text book and part of every library. I strongly recommend Mr. Kozak-Holland's book. Well done sir.

There is no denying that this is unequivocally the best book on starting or expanding a Coin Laundry mat business. When I first purchased the book, I thought it was peculiar that there were no used copies in vast expanse of cyber space; but now I know why. It is cliche to say, but this is truly the bible for Coin Laundry owners.

This book gives you a detailed plan in how to construct your own laundromat, how negotiate with the landlord, chart analysis and even technical plumbing techniques to analyze and evaluate a laundromat based on location, equipment age as well as pricing a laundromat correctly.

This book is indispensible for anyone interested in owning or operating a coin laundry. In fact I highly recommend it to anyone interested in starting any small business.

I decided to buy this book after finding not much else in this business field. I am well impressed. This book has answered questions that nobody else will answer. More importantly, it's doing so from an unbiased opinion. Information, charts, evaluation methods, that are detailed in the book. Its like from an insider's perspective. This book is like a mentor with years of experience, showing you the ropes and holes to avoid. A must buy for anyone thinking about getting into this business. Especially a new comer to this industry.

THis is a must read for anyone who is serious about owning a coin laundry business,full of helpful information

I wrote the book, I am not the author, my Heavenly Father is.
This book came about by sitting at the feet of Jesus and
worshipping Him in intimacy. As He talked it was written down
just as He spoke it. If you like for Jesus to talk to you then
you will love this book. What He tells you as an individual today, He will tell you something different for tomorrow.
I have never read a book like this before. The Father says
that the Bible is My written word but this is My spoken word.

The contents of this very unusual book is the Lord talking to
you. You can call it God's Love Letter's to you and be perfectly accurate. Don't you just love for Him to talk to you about all things? He gives us the answers to any and all problems in this volume. You have to endulge or get lost in it
to really experience the truths that He gives to you.

Our Father God is so awesome and so very good to us. This book
is so very unusual. It is quite different from most spiritual
books in that this whole book is the Lord talking to you as an
individual daily (or at any time you desire to read it). You can
find the answer to all problems by listening to the contents and
voice of Father God through the printed pages of this book. All I can say is Glory---Hallelujah!!!!!!

A very, very unusual book consisting of (total pages) the Lord
speaking to you as an individual. Life in Him is being
presented throughout the whole book.

Wow! Just in time GOD! This arrived at a criticial time when I needed to HEAR FROM GOD and indeed HE SPOKE DIRECTLY TO ME AND EVERY SINGLE SITUATION I WAS FACING! As a MINISTER, I recognized the WORD of God flowing forth in each message - which is the one true CONFIRMING WITNESS that Bobbie Coates was INDEED DWELLING IN THE THRONE ROOM AND LISTENING TO THE ALMIGHTY! I can't say enough about the truth of each message and impact that it has had on my attitude - in spite of every obstacle! Praise God for Leon Coates obedience to publish this work! It's A MUST HAVE!