Enterprise Books

When I first saw this book and read the title, I didn't think it would be for me. But it was highly recommended by a friend, so I picked it up. Bart Elderberry is my new hero. Stepping out of his body at will, zipping around the universe to solve mysteries, it's a fantastic book and I eagerly hunted down and read the two that follow.

I haven't found too many books like this one. You can find many books on the subject if you want to learn "how to" techniques of getting out of your body, but what if you just want a good story? What if you just want a novel adventure about an esoteric topic that is usually ignored? Well if that's what you want, this is the book you're looking for. It's not particularly realistic as far as OBEs go; the protagonist can get out of his body far to easily. But who cares. This book lets you entertain the idea of a life that is not limited to the physical realm. For me, it helps me visualize myself that much closer to doing it. But besides that, it's just plain fun. I wish someone would make a series of movies like this OBE thriller. This is the kind of book that you can't put down. And it's not that big, so you'll get through it quickly, leaving you thirsting for more.

This is a most interesting story about a boy who has to face his talent (astral projection) and its consequences.
I found the story so thrilling, that I almost read the book at one time only throughout the night. The following morning I had swollen eyes ! The only other book about this subject which fascinated me equally was "Frabato,The Magician" by Franz Bardon.
Due to this book I was less shocked. One tends to think that some things simply happen much too fast...
But in itself a truly and thoroughly fascinating book, and most recomendable.
Anyone interested in this subject, but yet "a beginner", will find itvery helpful.

I am a major bookworm and I have to say that this is by far the best book I've ever read! Lots of excitement and adventure. It's a good book for ANYONE to read.

Imagine what might happen if one day you discover you can leave your body! This is just what happens to the hero, Bart. As he is discovering this talent, he also stumbles onto a sinister plot that threatens the lives of those he loves. I think young adults around the country will have as hard a time putting this novel down as I did. I have also read the second novel, and it's even better. I'm so glad the author has finally come out with a third!

serious system testing has never been part of the culture here. One day the manager decided that it would be a good thing if we did proper, coordinated, effective stress and load testing. I got stuck with coming up with strategy. I started reading this book expecting a how to guide. I expected to be spoon fed all the nittt gritty details on how to do it. This is not what I got.

This book points you in the right direction, show you the tools you could use, explains what you need to think about and the questions you need to ask. The how-to and the answers to the questions are more for you to figure out yourslef.

At the end of it you come away with a better understanding of what you need to do, why you need to do, high level how you are going to do it and the value you and your company are going to gain by doing all of this.

I would strongly recommend it to anyone having to get involved in system analysis and performance. It gives you a great broader picture of the whole issue. You think you know what you have got yourself involved in. this book shows you that you appreciate only the tip of the iceberg.

This is an excellent book which can be used for perfomance tuning and stress testing phase of big projects

Written by an authority on the subject. This book is a treasure trove of information that is detailed and essential for covering all aspects of a properly executed stress test. Written from experience, this book is a definite "MUST" read for anyone assigned the challenging task.

This book features good discussion on performance tuning the mySAP suite that no other books have so far. This is the perfect book for SAP Stress Test Project Managers, SAP Stress Test Project Teams, SAP Basis Administrators, Oracle DBAs, Unix Administrators managing SAP systems, and project implementation teams. Those who stress test their systems well with the help of this book will have significant returns.

The ultimate reference for performance testing (certainly testing, more so than actual tuning, though the latter is covered well in the last few chapters). The author's approach is complete in that it addresses how to test along with what, when, to what degree, and with what kind of staffing resources. I'm already thinking of ways we can improve our own change control processes, and based on tools and methods covered by the author I'm convinced I can do so cheaper and with less impact to my users than I previously thought possible. Case in point, look into the two chapters on tools for testing and monitoring: in this alone, the book will pay for itself in short order.

this book has cleared up a lot of clouds in my mind about Internetworking concept as well as router/switch issues. Thanks, Howard.

This book discusses most aspects of network design to an impressive level of detail. No fast answers are given as is appropriate for a design book. The author's approach is such that he immediately commands the readers respect and from what I have seen is only matched by Cormac Long's design book. The only gripe I might have is that I found the style a tad long-winded at times, since I personally prefer books to be as concise as possible.

I really like this book. Despite a slight tendancy to ramble, Berkowitz style is very enjoyable, humourous at times, and he explains everything in detail. This is a book geared towrds understanding the concepts of routing and switching, rather than analyzing everything from the manufacturers viewpoint. As a result, you get a firm understanding of the fundamentals. Where appropriate, he does discuss manufacturer specific design/philosphy (e.g. cisco, nortel, etc.), but for the most part it's completely independent of that. Hence, this is useful regardless of what gear you're using. This is a must for every network engineer's library.

Delightful might seem like a strange word to describe a technical book, but it's exactly what I mean to say. I find myself being delighted with Howard's unique way of presenting the essence of a network technology. I hear myself say "ah hah, that's what all that incomprehensible text in those other books meant!" Howard uses analogies and real-life examples to ensure that the reader really understands the basics and the details. Great book for learning routing and switching architecture design.

This book is incredible. Howard speaks with a voice of absolute authority. He presents all sides of the issues and leaves the reader to come to his/her own conclusions. He is obviously a master of his craft, and reading this book is sheer pleasure. It would be a fantastic book if it was comprised of dry text and facts, but that's far from the case: this book was written by a man who understands the writer's prerogative to keep his audience awake and entertained. To my knowledge a better book on network design does not exist. Highest recommendation.

I can't believe how much information this book has. I wondered why it has almost twice as many pages as other books on the subject, now I know.

How I wish, I found this book first! I could have saved myself a lot of time and money.

I read this book in one sitting - 7 hours. I just could not bring it down. This book answered for me three important questions, 1) Why should I incorporate? 2) Why should I choose Nevada? and 3) How do I incorporate in Nevada?

The depth of the answers provided by Rowley is assuring. It appears to be complete and authoritative. With this knowledge I am now in a better position to do my own homework!

This book appears to deliver what it promised. I think I am going to read it again.

I like Rowley's style of writing: it is simple and straight to the point -- a real time saver! How I wish that Rowley will write one more book -- something like entitled, "Taking Care of Your Nevada Corporation."

I have bought several other books on incorporating and have often been disappointed to find out that what promised to be informative was mostly a glorified sales piece for some company or seminar speaker - lots of hype but little information you can use yourself without their help. This book was different! Filled with all the info I need to setup and maintain Nevada Corporations (has info on LLC's and Wyoming corps too!) Best book on the subject I have ever seen!

This is a great book! It not only teaches you the benefits of incorporating in NV, it also provides detailed info on different kinds of companies and tax saving strategies.

Please note, the latest edition (as of this writing) is the 9th Edition. I accidently bought the older 8th Edition. You can check the most current edition at the publisher's web site:
http://www.strategicpress.com/

A book on a subject like this is a situation where you'd really rather look over the various books in a bookstore rather than buy online. But after looking over all the books I could find online, I decided to buy this one. I am very pleased with it, with one quibble: the price. The content is good, the book is nicely printed and bound, but even so ... ouch! $65.95?! At any rate, the reasons I bit the bullet and bought it are: (1) I got the feeling that a lot of books on this subject are shill come-ons for Nevada "incorporation advisors"--I did searches on the net for some of the titles, and they came up on pages of such outfits, obviously written by the people behind the businesses, who tend not to have any formal legal training; the Rowley book is not a shill job at all. (2) Rowley has put a good chunk of his book online where you can read it for free; I'd put the URL here, but Amazon would delete it; nevertheless, if you search for it and read the content, it gives you a good preview of the book (although the juicy stuff, like the sample articles of incorporation are not online). (3) About a third of the book consists of reference material like the Nevada Revised Statutes, which are available online at the Secretary of State's site (where you can search for words in your browser), but it's nice to have a printed copy. With this book and a resident agent (look online at the Secretary of State's site for a complete list), you can do the incorporation yourself.

Growth on a global stage is the only way to sustainable success. It is an enormous challenge to grow let alone accomplish it globally. This book provides tangible object lessons on how these leaders have done it. If first-hand learning is best, then these stories approximate that construct.

This is an engaging and usefull guide to a difficult act.

Authors Manfred F.R. Kets de Vries and Elizabeth Florent-Treacy idealistically foresee a new era where visionary, innovative CEO's will lead a new type of employee. Through insightful interviews, they position Richard Branson of Virgin, Percy Barnevik of ABB and David Simon of British Petroleum as icons of the modern, improved CEO. Certainly, Branson and Simon seem to be valid role models and their leadership of European global companies presents interesting alternatives. Although it is not reflected in this 1999 book, today Barnevik's reputation is tarnished in the wake of a 2002 severance pay scandal and problems that BusinessWeek refers to as "the mess at ABB." For good or ill, this book will provoke you to ask if emphasizing a leader's charismatic ability to motivate distracts attention from critical core business issues. Despite their varied outcomes, these charismatic visionaries created family-like corporate cultures and inspired their employees. Thus, they demonstrated that the new economic era requires a new type of leader. Whether they together constitute a composite of that leader is another question. We recommend this solid book to management students and to upcoming executives.

Well written, easy to read. Hard acts to follow. You will get to know three successful business leaders. What are their background, childhood, education and career? What happened to their companies when they were leading them? Interviews with each one of them in which many questions are answered that you probably would have asked. The companies are large, global and successful. There is a lot to learn. It is not a cookbook. The authors make a useful summary but when you reflect about what the three persons have done there are not only many things they all did but also many things they did differently. I bought the book because it was listed under the heading "business ethics" in an Amazon search. The book is not directly about ethics. It is useful in that context as it shows that these three leaders through their actions demonstrate having moral convictions. Part of that conviction is to deliver shareholder value but also strong feelings of responsibility for the environment and social issues. Furthermore they have been able, with a lot of hard work, to impart this concept on all of the employees. All three believe that employees become much more motivated and loyal to the organisation when they feel that they are working towards goals in addition to shareholder value. One also becomes convinced that they do not set these wider goals as a public relations exercise or a clever way to motivate people to work harder. These leaders are totally sincere in what they say and what they do.

The book gives valuable insight into the way these three ground-breaking European leaders think about business, and how they successfully manage global organizations. The book clearly illustrate the different personal traits of the subjects (the builder, the transformer, and the integrator), and ecourages the reader to challange the pros and cons of the different philosophies. The book reads very much like a case study, and provides an excellent but basic overview over the global marketplace and on how to be able to draw on the ideas implemented by these great leaders.

A brillant leadership study from M.F.R. Kets de Vries and E. Florent-Treacy. The New Global Leaders is the success stories of three global leaders : " Richard Branson (founder and head of the Virgin Group), Percy Barnevik (mastermind behind the merger of ASEA and Brown Boveri to form ABB), and David Simon (former CEO of British Petroleum) all looked for ways to create a greater sense of purpose for their employees while putting in place the structure necessary for a global organization."

With case studies and interviews, this book has been built around the personal development of these world-class global leaders and the evolution of their companies.

As stated by Kets de Vries and Florent-Treacy," we first discuss the values that provide a foundation for excellence and a new psychological contract in vanguard companies such as Virgin, ABB, and BP and then show how these values can be translated into practice in any organization."

I highly recommend this brillant study.

A detailed and succesful study about ABB and Percy Barnevik see "ABB the Dancing Giant/K. Barham & C. Heimer".

This is an interesting book and certainly different from the standard interpretation of monetary policy.

If you are like most Americans you have been inundated in recent months with TARP, CDOs, RMBS, SIVs and an amazing alphabet soup of financial engineering products and their subsequent government rescue programs. It can all be quite confusing and difficult to understand. Over this weekend I think I finally figured it out with the help of this excellent book.

This book cleanly lays outs in ~100 pages how much of the "growth" over the past 20 years in our global (and particularly US) economy has been disproportionately an asset bubble driven by a tide of liquidity. This massive dose of liquidity was itself driven by the decline of inflation, greedy banks, investors, hedge funds, and homeowners, private equity leverage, "creative" new financial products, incompetent regulators, Japanese deflation fighting, and globalization itself. I never would have believed a small book like this could tie all this together.

That said, I think people with a rudimentary but not detailed knowledge of economics and finance will benefit most from this book, as it covers a lot of ground pretty fast and if you are total neophyte in financial matters you will be drinking from a fire hose. (Hint: If you have never heard the term "off balance sheet liability" this might not be the book for you.)

I only wish his next-to-last chapter had been written more recently because while his predictions have been largely accurate the amount of write-downs from this disaster appears likely to far exceed even his most dire estimates. This makes his prediction of a very long, very painful US deleveraging even more believable. I also really appreciated his outline of where the winners and losers will be going forward from both an asset class and a geographic standpoint since at the end of the day we all want to know what to do NOW.

Very well worth the time!

This a great, quick read. Many topics can be misleadingly easy to read but difficult to piece together at a deeper level. David Roche is so familiar with his topic that many of the discussions have been distilled many times over. So it may be best to re-read parts.

The recurring theme of new monetarism is seen through a pyramid of liquidity where central bank power money has shrunk in importance while securitized and derivative money has led to a new top heavy relationship where the top part of the pyramid represents a bigger chunk of liquidity than in the past. But at the same time there is no new paradigm in global growth. Only more liquidity from the top of the pyramid, which is reflected in recent bubbles from capital priced too low. Paraphrasing makes the arguments seem more in line with many recent realizations in the market on excess liquidity, and now turning toward busts (or at least severe haircuts). But reading the arguments and connecting the dots produces a powerful, non-traditional interpretation of what's happened in recent years. In some ways, the arguments presented are the anti-thesis of Gavekal's Brave New World. Yet both books are just as stimulating given the mental work out they set off as one tries delve deeper into key arguments.

A few extrapolations from the book.

Monetary policy: If power money + broad money were 13.6% the size of securitized debt + derivatives in 1990, then in 2006 this had shrunk to about 7.1%, based on the pyramid breakdowns on p. 17. This supports the view that monetary policy has shifted to the issuers of liquidity as financial institutions and away from central banks. Ironically, with the recent blow ups in asset backed paper, many of the recent providers of liquidity have had to go back to the central banks and government agencies for help, which also tends to blur the differences between the different segments in this pyramid of new monetarism, which then brings on a discussion on gold, other assets/stores of value and their differentiation with monetary tools of liquidity. (Too many more questions come to mind...)


The Yen carry trade: The world has exhibited a propensity to leverage up on Yen borrowings to lower the cost of capital and enhance returns on investment (at least until a few months ago). That the Yen makes up less of global FX reserves (4%) than global GDP (10%) as shown on p.31 while also making up more of power money (18%) than of derivatives (13%) in terms of global liquidity as seen on p.33 connects to lower velocity of usage and the concept of low risk (lower growth).

The reversal of perceptions on risk, which happens to have happened with a rise in the VIX index and equity market volatility, makes sense when you think out of the box as David Roche and Bob McKee do. One just needs to recognize that what people thought was low risk was in fact high risk (sometimes low risk may be defensive strategies yet other times low risk may be taking the reverse position from consensus). Put another way, exchanging the low return Yen for higher risks and returns pushed the relationship to its limit -- and more -- until it has now reversed back on itself, which is saying that the low risk trade was turned into a high risk trade.


Popping the Greenspan-Bernanke bubble: Bernanke's theory on the global (Asia) savings glut relative to US overconsumption is dragged out for a flogging. An interpretation by Bernanke that the US has done the world a favor by over-consuming what Asia and China produce and that it is the Asia surpluses from US trade deficits that keep interest rates low through the recycling process is ridiculed by the authors by showing that the recycling accounted for only about 15% of the decline in interest rates. Most of the decline comes from disinflation and a shrinking supply of longer maturities paper. The point is perhaps better explained when the authors point out that Asia excess corporate savings are only about 40% the size of those from US corporates.

But perhaps as well, an added point is that with higher cash generation (at margins above mean, etc..) comes less demand for borrowing in the first place. If high power money makes up a smaller portion of the liquidity pyramid then obviously the capital has been coming from new sources -- which then leads us back to understanding the pricing from the new sources. In a sense, so much more could be written here. For example, when finance books tell us the cost of equity is higher than the cost of debt (and yet also corporates often act as if equity is cheaper during good times).

In the end doesn't the cost of issuing money through securitizations and derivates also end up being more expensive (yes, we know that), even if it looked cheap at one point. But, again as we are finding out now with SIVs, we need know how much more expensive and the change in the cost over different time frames. When the current bubble deflation is better understood, we will see that the cost of capital from the top of the pyramid is far more than was believed. The authors of course tell us capital has been priced too low. But so much more could be written on this.

This book is great to get you thinking.

This is one of the best books I've read explaining the current financial crisis and the risks to our financial system. Other books gloss over the nuts and bolts of the financial workings in the economy, this book spells it out in detail and walks the reader to a greater understanding of the issues.

I purchased this based on a WSJ Editorial Roche wrote a few weeks ago. It made a lot of sense to me and I wanted to read more. Though it's a short book, it speaks to something I have long believed: the existence of "disinflation" and the creation of money supra-central-banks. Though a quick read, it is well documented

At the risk of taking all their cheery predictions without the bad, but I think that they discount the fundamental point of derivatives, namely, getting risk into the hands of those that can best accept it. Roche and McKee advise (and let me be clear, this book is positioned more toward investment advice than economics) you to go long volatility. I wonder if they are ignoring the effect of instruments that would allow you to do so.

I just bought this book today and I could not put it down. I must warn you, Keep a box of tissues at hand. "No One to Wash Her Hair" is one of the most beautiful and touching stories that I've read in a while. Joshua Jones is a young, new author and I hope this is just the first of many books to come.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has recently experienced a loss in their family. It is a great read for all aged readers. The book beautifully paints a picture of a family coping with the loss of the beloved patriarch of their family. It is a book that both school aged children and grandparents can enjoy. A love story ties the ends of the story together. No One to Wash Her Hair has a great coming of age story within as well that allows you to grow with the main character. It's a great read that I would recommend to all.

I love this book. It's the best I have read in a long time. This book reminds us all to cherish every minute we have with those we love. It tells of the love shared in a 75 year marriage and that of a young man finding his one true love. This book can be read by anyone from 10 to 100. I cried on the first page and well after I finished the last. It's not what you might expect. I would recomend it to everyone.

When I started this book I could not put it down. I laughed, I cried and yearned for more. This book can be read my everyone young and old and will be a classic. I can not wait for Joshua Jones to write another novel...an avid fan for life. This book is absolutely wonderful!!!

I absolutely loved this book. It has so many stories rolled into one. It describes the main character's relationship with his family. It deals with life and death and family and has a love story thrown in too. It really does have something for everyone. My dad is actually reading it now and he is enjoying. I read my copy in a couple days. I was hooked from the fist line and was crying even after I read the last line. For anyone who has lost a grandparent I highly recommend this book.

I gave this book to my husband. He is a rangeland management major and he is in love with the book. I do not know anything about plants, but he seems to love it and find it extremely useful. Compare to the expensive "weeds of the west" this book is relatively cheap for the amount of plants it has.

As a Range Conservationist in WA State a great book for all range mgrs, range techs., however, I was surprised to see Thurber needlegrass taken out of the most recent issue.

This is a great reference book for North American Range plants. It includes a detailed description of each plant along with sketchs and a maps to show distribution. Grasses, forbs and shrubs are included. This book also closely follows the lists for university range plant identification team contests. An excellent reference or study book for North American plants.

This book contains 200 of the most common range plants in North America. Each entry contains a detailed illustration, range maps, scientific and common names, complete written description, growth habit, origin, livestock value, and medicinal uses of the plant. I found the illustrations to be the best I've ever seen, especially the detail included in the grass spikelets. This is an excellent reference for anyone trying to familiarize themselves with common range plants.

North American Range Plants is a great book for any beginer, taxonomy student, layman, and expert alike. It is easy for the novice, because it's not in a key format, which may disappoint some more serious plant collectors. It contains 200 of the most common, and important plants found in the United States, Canada and Mexico. I have had this book for sometime now, and it has become an invaluable resource in my studies at Texas A&M University, where I have come to know one of the co-authors, Stephan Hatch. He has an unparralled knowledge of plants and a dedication like no other to put forth a good product, so i know from experience that this book was written by folks who are the top in their field of study. Being from Texas, i have worked internships in the plains of central North Dakota and the desert "outback" of eastern Oregon and have found the book to most useful, oftentimes referring to it before trying to "key out" a plant in a more technical publication. It just doesn't get any better than this.

I am an avid reader and first came upon Kay McSpadden's writings in The Charlotte Observer newspaper. I was eager to check out her book "Notes from a Classroom".
If you have never heard of Kay McSpadden, you are in for a treat! She skillfully relates tales of her 30 years of teaching in a rural South Carolina high school. She allows us a glimpse into her struggles and triumphs as she strives to challenge young minds. She introduces us to many of her students, most who live in poverty-stricken conditions with questionable futures.
Kay gives us many uplifting tales of students who enter her classroom feeling defeated and leave having learned to shine. In one such Public Speaking class, Kay is doubtful how the semester will go with the mix of students taking this course. Everyone is shaky and nervous except for a perky over-achiever who dominates the class. After several weeks, a small, shy boy who refuses to make eye contact with anyone raises his hand to read the assignment, "One thing you should know about me is..." and transforms the dynamics of the entire class. I won't ruin it for you, but his moment of truthfulness tugged at my heart and I applauded him for his bravery.
In another story, I felt her deep sadness as she recommended more classic novels to the bright enthusiastic "farm boy" senior who so enjoyed "Ulysses". He replied that once he graduated, his "reading spell" would be over.
Kay also shares some of her life experiences as a wife, a mother, a sister, and a daughter. She writes a moving letter to her mother on her 80th birthday thanking her for the big things she has given her (such as life, health, a happy childhood) as well as the small gift that, in retrospect, hadn't been so small after all. She writes, "Thank you for wearing the cheap perfume and gaudy costume jewelry I bought you, letting me know that a mother's love is larger than her need for style." This is wisdom clearly gleaned in retrospect as Kay raised her own children with love. This heartwarming tribute reminds me how immeasurable and beautiful a mother's love is.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading. I felt inspired and moved, and so grateful that Kay McSpadden allowed me to have a glimpse into her world. I once had to stop and think when someone posed the question, "If you could invite anyone to dinner, living or dead, who would it be?" I would now answer that I would ask Kay McSpadden so she could share more of her struggles and triumphs to inspire and challenge me.

Kay McSpadden writes eloquently and honestly about her experience teaching in a rural South Carolina high school. As a teacher myself I can empathize with the trials and triumphs she endures and in times when "the job" feels tough, Kay McSpadden's words spur me on and remind me why I chose this honorable profession to begin with. Whether it's convincing her students to embrace the joy of English literature, encouraging the shy boy to have his voice heard or instilling her faith in the conviction that ALL students can achieve, Kay McSpadden makes teachers proud to be teachers, convinces students that EVERYONE has the capacity to learn and reminds parents that learning often comes in different and unique ways. A must read for anyone who understands that education is empowering.

I enjoyed reading this book so much! Kay McSpadden's quick wit and humor mixed with heart-warming stories of her passion for teaching teenagers kept me laughing and crying long past my bedtime! The entire time I was reading, I kept thinking about all the other people that would love this book too.

Of course, I knew my friends who teach would absolutely devour this book. But Kay also takes us through her journeys as a young mother watching her children take their first baby steps into the adjustments of a mother in a newly empty nest. My friend preparing to send her son off to his first year of college should read this!

Kay's stories celebrate teachers, students, and the strengths of families- all which make this book so special and full of inspiration. But don't buy just one copy because you will soon discover that this book is a true treasure that you will be eager to share!

A Call to Life Long Learning

Thank goodness author and seasoned high school teacher Kay McSpadden did not learn all she needed to know in kindergarten. One of the themes of Notes from a Classroom, a collection of essays originally written by McSpadden for a local newspaper and radio station, is that life provides constant learning opportunities. A good education, says McSpadden, is one that empowers us to ask probing questions along the way -- especially concerning what others would have us believe.

I have always maintained that teaching is not for the faint of heart and I could see little to recommend it as a career. After reading this book I still believe that the molding of young minds is one of the toughest jobs out there but there were moments when the author's regard for her profession and her students made me wish I had what it takes.

Notes from a Classroom is not just about education. It is about children, adolescents, family, work, struggle, joy, tragedy--in short, it is about the human condition. Long out of kindergarten, Kay McSpadden has the wisdom to know she still has more to learn and that is what makes this wonderful book all the more valuable.

Full disclosure: I am the editor of "Notes from a Classroom," so if I think it a treasure (and I do) that is no surprise.

But the words above are not mine. They are poet Nikki Giovanni's -- part of a beautiful tribute she wrote to Kay McSpadden and to teachers generally after seeing an early copy of "Notes" (the full text is reprinted in "Notes" and is also available online).

Readers in Charlotte, NC have long known Kay McSpadden to be a treasure. "Notes" is a collection of McSpadden's popular columns from the Charlotte Observer, where she writes about teaching high school English in a high poverty school. McSpadden doesn't flinch from reporting her challenges in the classroom, her disappointments -- even mistakes. But again and again, she shows us students transformed through Socratic discussion and through their encounters with literature.

Whether you are an educator, parent, or anyone who cares about life and learning, these stories will send chills down your spine. And if you have a classroom of your own, you'll especially want to peek over McSpadden's shoulder as she shares how to turn struggling teens into successful students.

"On rare occasions I read a book that leaves me feeling wiser," says Ed Williams, Editor of the Editorial Pages for the Charlotte Observer. "This is one of those books." Read "Notes from a Classroom," and discover why.

The Bennet's provide a dialogue of complex systems that is exceptionally thought provoking. They have a logical progression in developing their concepts and are mindful of reinforcing the basic concepts by continually referring the reader back to the basics of the introductory chapters. Experienced managers will be able to relate the concepts presented in this book to the ones they have experienced. It will allow those mediocre managers to set their goals in proper line and also help those who have been successful in either reinventing their organization from the ground up or honing a functioning organization into a finer running machine. This is not a book you can read and absorb in a short time. In fact, my first reading took several months. My second reading continues in an even more deliberate way, selecting certain chapters that relate to my real world.

A book you keep on a nearby shelf to pull down periodically for a short read about a specific organization concept of interest.

The authors provide a valuable resource for executives striving to assure their companies excel in a competitive and complex environment. Dave and Alex Bennet use their practical management experience and excellent insight in knowledge theory to address the challenges facing organizations in a rapidly changing world. Their explanation of the Intelligent Complex Adaptive System ICAS provides a model for successfully handling the increasing demands of a swiftly changing business atmosphere. As background, the book provides a description of the differences between Bureaucratic and World Class organizations. It explores the emergent properties of the ICAS and how it works in practice. The Bennets present a variety of new and innovative techniques for improving organizational performance. The ICAS and the processes described in this book are a roadmap for organizations to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. I highly recommend this book for executives who strive to excel in a complex and ever changing competitive environment.

At Kent State University our graduate interdisciplinary program, Information & Knowledge Management (IAKM), was founded two years ago by a number of departments and schools: Communication Studies, Computer Science, Graduate School of Management, Journalism & Mass Communication, Library and Information Science, and Visual Communication Design. This rich mosaic of experience and knowledge is a seedbed for teaching the Intelligent Complex Adaptive System (ICAS) as described in Organizational Survival in the New World: The Intelligent Complex Adaptive System, by Alex and David Bennet.

Many of our learners in the IAKM Program are mid-career professionals, managers, and executives who seek a blueprint and framework for constructing and sustaining the new, Second Generation Knowledge Management (SGKM) organization. Alex and David have provided a rich foundation in the theory behind ICAS and draw in a resulting learner dialogue that demonstrate how theory can be practically engaged in the dynamic environments of our evolving institutions, businesses, and governments. This handbook will be used to design a new course in IAKM that prototypes a successful and innovative ICAS organization-covering aspects of its architecture, structure and infrastructure, culture, leadership, problem-solving and decision-making apparatus, collaboration, and potential institutional outcomes.

Alex and David Bennet are exemplary Master Builders who draw upon Complexity Theory. This book fulfils the needs displayed by many highly motivated learners who wish to comprehend and apply the elements and theories that are required to construct and launch a competitive and agile ICAS organization.

Of particular value to me was Part IV: The Knowledge Solution, which focused on the new skills and competencies needed by the new knowledge worker to help attain organizational survival and, more importantly, organizational success. This seminal monograph has augmented the goal of my research into the development of a Knowledge Management Educational Framework (KMEF) because it contains rich material with which I can effectively teach KM as well as fertile substance for my academic research agenda. I highly recommend this book because it will prove useful to academics as well as practitioners.

The authors provide a valuable resource for executives striving to assure their companies excel in a competitive and complex environment. Dave and Alex Bennet use their practical management experience and excellent insight in knowledge theory to address the challenges facing organizations in a rapidly changing world. Their explanation of the Intelligent Complex Adaptive System ICAS provides a model for successfully handling the increasing demands of a swiftly changing business atmosphere. As background, the book provides a description of the differences between Bureaucratic and World Class organizations. It explores the emergent properties of the ICAS and how it works in practice. The Bennets present a variety of new and innovative techniques for improving organizational performance. The ICAS and the processes described in this book are a roadmap for organizations to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. I highly recommend this book for executives who strive to excel in a complex and ever changing competitive environment.

This is one of only a few books to attempt a fresh expansive view of new organizational infrastructure, principles, and tools in nearly a half-century of post-industrial society experience. One might say that until the last decade of knowledge management thinking, there has not been the perspective to do this. But, I don't buy it. Fritz Machlup's work in the 50's extensively described the impact of knowledge work on the economy. Drucker clearly saw it in the 50's. What have we been thinking about?

You can't read this book without disagreeing with the Bennets. They touch too many subjects too dear to too many of us. Still, give them credit for so many new ideas. They have laid the basis for a broad dialogue grounded in the credible view of complexity theory. The Bennets have sent out the invitations, they have set the table, who will join the feast? It is challenging for me to read this book. I constantly want to be able to discuss it with others. There is so much depth and breadth at the same time. Also, you may not be able to read it without being remorseful about your own organization, especially if you work in a complex enterprise. Recommend you scan the table of contents and then start reading. As the Bennets say, go to Chapter 19 if you need grounding in complexity theory. I found it useful to jump ahead and read chapters as my interest was peaked. Then go back and pick up from where you left off.

The Bennets' research alone has immense value. This book should become a college text for graduate work. They are well grounded in complexity theory, nevertheless, they pull from many fields, disciplines, and theorists to build this new body of knowledge. The book would rock an MBA program.

Drucker says that figuring this sort of thing out will determine how well we'll compete in this new century. The Bennets give us new frameworks for describing what we're working with and how we can organize for breakthroughs on multiple levels. In the meantime, hopefully a leader at Homeland Security is reading this book.