Enterprise Books

MY LADY DOMINO

Once upon a time, Adele Russell had been the belle of the ball, engaged to David Latimer, with Society's doors thrown open to welcome her. But then, life intervened: David had to make a sudden trip to India, with no time to advise Adele that he still loved her and would return. The letter went astray, and the betrothal was broken.

As if that wasn't enough of a blow, four years later, her father died in disgrace, leaving her nearly destitute and forced to find employment A friend who was a haberdasher was pleased to employ Adele, but her new life style bore little resemblance to the one she had expected to be leading.

Set in Bath, the story is light-hearted yet serious, a reminder to all of us that life can change in the blink of an eye. In spite of hardships, wonderful villains and other traumatic events, all comes right in the end.

A COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE

An unexpected inheritance can open-or close-doors. When Caroline Lexham found herself to be the new owner of an elegant London mansion, she knew it would take a major effort to maintain both herself and her new abode. So, she turned it into a first-class (five-star?) hotel. Her chance to shine in Society's light is a celebratory banquet honoring the Duke of Wellington in the spring of 1818.

It's hardly to be wondered at that a cousin takes exception to this plan, as do several rivals, but Caroline will not easily give up her dream. When Harry Seymour appears on the scene, she knows she's made the right choice.

There is a lot of action in this story, and just enough romance to keep things interesting. How neat to have these two books in one volume. Adele and Caroline would have been great friends, had they ever met. Each of them is true to her own self, while forging ahead in ways new to the times in which they lived, yet never exceeding the boundaries established by society. And in the end, their dreams come true.

As usual in any book by Sandra Heath, the settings, the costumes, the characters, the events depicted are all true to the Regency era. This one provides double the pleasure. Hooray!

Ah, sigh...such a pleasure to read excellent Multi-POV that lets all the characters of the book come to life. US has this enforced single Point of View thing going the last 10 years. That is fine for those who like it. Guess what not all of us do. I love knowing all the characters in the book and find that missing so much in American writers today. Heath is British and the comforting Brit style of POV usage made me smile. Heath has this down to a pat and it's so enjoyable to read this wonderful style again.

These are two excellent Heath books in one! My Lady Domino finds Miss Adele Russell living in reduced circumstances. She was once the only daughter of a rich Bath banker and engaged to the devilishly handsome David Latimer, Earl of Blaisdon. The evil Duke Bellingham conspired with her father's clerk to rob the bank blind. When her father was ready to expose them, the secretary set a fire and killed her father, destroying her home. Adele was left to deal with the scandal when her father was accused to stealing the money. No one ever stopped to ask where it went. No one listened when she tried to expose the men who killed her father. Especially absent from supporting her in this time of troubles as her fiancé. David Latimer barely had the courtesy to send a dear john note before decamping Bath.

Broken hearted, Adele now lives with her former governess. The governess runs a fashionable store in bath and Adele works there as a clerk. Life goes along well, it rather dull until news that David Latimer has returned. Adele is distress everyone is saying he is going to marry the daughter of the Duke of Bellingham.

As the night of the masquerade at the Bellingham manor arrives, Adele takes the risk. She alters her mother's gown and slips into the mansion, just to live in the manner she once had. David Latimer dances with her, but he doesn't recognize her as his former love. Hurt, she dances with the son of the Duke, which sets off a chain of events that nearly destroys all their lives.

It's a skillfully woven tale, that touches the heart and done with a beautiful use of multiple-POV. Wish American readers would once again embrace this beautiful style. It's just so "full", instead of paint-by-numbers it's a masterpiece of light and shadow.

In the second full book, A Commercial Enterprise, it's about choices within oneself. Caroline Hexham's father was the black sheep of the Hexham family. He was a good man who married for love. As such, Caroline has been shunned by the powerful Hexham family her whole life. She is tried of life as a country mouse, so when her uncle dies, and his solicitor requests Caroline's presence in London, she jumps at the chance. On the journey she travels with Sir Henry Seymour, an aid and spymaster under Wellington.

Caroline is attracted to the handsome man, but has a lot on her plate at the moment. In a fit, her uncle gave the family manor in London to Caroline as long as she meets several stipulations. It's obvious to Caroline, he is being used as a prod against her cousin, but she seizes the chance to turn it into a thriving hotel for the elite.

There is romance abound, a temperamental French cook and a plot to assassinate Wellington. All done with Heaths charm and detailed style.

Two wonderful books for the price of one! A great treat.

This is the first book I've read by the author and I really enjoyed them both. My favorite was My Lady Domino which I didn't want to put down. A Commercial Enterprise was good too but I would probably rate it a 4 instead of a 5. I'm excited to read more books from Heath.

Amid a culture that is so fast-paced, this book is so timely! How much we need to consider the legacy we are leaving for those who come behind us. Who doesn't enjoy a good story? I know I do! This book beautifully weaves the stories from Larry Toller's life with the impact they had upon him. What a treasure we can offer to our children and our grandchildren by simply taking the time to record those little moments in life that have brought us joy or pain or other emotions. Yes, Larry encourages us to write--not worrying about how skilled we are. And as we write, we are offering those we love our time--and glimpses into the times that shaped our lives! Thank you, Larry!

The book allows you to share the life of the author as you get Biblical insights and the chance to share your story right in the book. It can provide a cherished heirloom for many generations as you pass it down to your children.

My primary focus is family relationships. My Story Your Story His Story provides you with an opportunity to have a relational encounter and spiritual influence on your family, for generations to come.
- - Dr. Gary Smalley, Author of The DNA of Relationships.

Larry Toller's book, My Story Your Story His Story is an unusually engaging writing that offers far more than casual reading. Unlike most books, Larry offers his readers the opportunity to "jump into" the story and indeed, become the story. With delightful prose and illuminating style, one feels as if he is sitting on the back porch recounting life's precious memories with an old friend. My Story Your Story His Story invites readers to record those things which "ought" to be recorded for posterity . . . an effort which could produce captured imprints for generations to come!
- - Dr. Robert Imhoff, President of Mid-Continent University, Mayfield, Kentucky

George Mueller, the great pastor and spiritual giant of Bristol, England studiously recorded what God had done in His life and ministry. His aim was simple: to show the world that God was a "prayer hearing and prayer answering God." Countless thousands have been blessed since that time because he took the time to record God's provision. Larry Toller, with wit and insight is giving us all a great look into his life and ministry. Better still, he has given us a tool to challenge us to record our own story, the record of God's dealings in our lives. Take the time to read and be blessed and to write and bless others! Those who follow you will be encouraged to see that God is faithful to ALL generations.
- - Bill Elliff, Directional Pastor, The Summit Church, North Little Rock, Arkansas

A simple story is powerful. It can spark the memory, ignite the imagination, and etch truth into the mind. Jesus masterfully used stories to drive home eternal truths to the hearts and minds of his hearers. With simplicity and clarity Larry Toller has recaptured the power of stories. His stories will bring back memories and lessons you may have forgotten. Take time to listen and reflect on his stories; then use them to remember, and learn again from the stories of your life.
- - Jim Rahtjen, Pastor, Glenfield Baptist Church, Glen Ellyn, Illinois

As a child growing up in churches in the rural south, I remember singing, at top of my lungs, the old hymn, `I Love to Tell the Story.' In this insightful book, Larry Toller helps us to tell that story in fresh ways that will bring hope and encouragement to family and friends. I'm glad that God gifted Larry to offer this book to us."
- - Dr. Andrew Westmoreland, President, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama

What a wonderful gift Larry Toller has given the readers of this special book and journal. With warmth and humor these everyday glimpses of eternity inspire and invite us to recognize those moments in our own lives. As story begets story and memory begets memory I invite you to participate and record your own moments of the heart. You'll be glad you did, and so will those you love.
- - Nate Adams, Executive Director, Illinois Baptist State Association, Springfield, Illinois

We have lived in this valley for 6 years, and buy books for our guests to familiarize themselves with the valley before they go exploring. We were pleasantly surprised to find this book as a stand-out from the crowd. The photographs by Nancy Kerby are beautiful, and the writing by Tony Kilgalin is both entertaining and enlightening. If we didn't live here, this book would tempt us to move here! We recommend this book for your library or for your new home in Napa. Enjoy!

We have lived in this valley for 6 years, and buy books for our guests to familiarize themselves with the valley before they go exploring. We were pleasantly surprised to find this book as a stand-out from the crowd. The photographs by Nancy Kerby are beautiful, and the writing by Tony Kilgalin is both entertaining and enlightening. If we didn't live here, this book would tempt us to move here! We recommend this book for your library or for your new home in Napa. Enjoy!

So many books attempt to capture the essence of Napa Valley. This book stands out from the rest, with a remarkable combination of photographs and words that convey the soul of the Napa Valley. If you were to choose only one introduction to Napa, this would be your best choice.

This sterling work chronicles the progress of Nathan, a young boy diagnosed with autism. Red flags are first noticed at his third birthday party. Other behaviors indicative of autism become more glaringly apparent as well. Nathan makes his round of the specialists and special education programs. He makes spectacular progress and later becomes a vital member of a basketball team. He is also elected class president.

This book is beautifully accompanied with photographs of Nathan; his family; people he works with such as teachers and therapists as well as his many peers. Readers are treated to Nathan's trip to Jamaica to visit other family members. Nathan's joy in his family and his pleasure in the trip will undoubtedly warm the hearts of all who read his story.

I just love this book. I also like the way things that are part of Nathan's life are photographed and identified such as the white Honda Accord. Nathan's story is presented in a gentle and accepting way; in fact acceptance is underscored throughout this book. Not only is the need for accessibility for Nathan described, but its inverse, accessibility to the neurotypical world is also provided.

You will root for Nathan the whole way through and be so delighted to be part of his team. Way to go, Team Nathan!

This is a terrific book! I found Nathan's Journey to be inspiring and informative and recommend it wholeheartedly. It is a heartwarming and uplifting story that gives hope to parents who might be discouraged and disheartened by a diagnosis of autism.

It is a mother's story of how one family emerged victorious over autism. The book starts with Nathan's third birthday party when his parents were very concerned that something was wrong. After tests and visits to specialists, Nathan was diagnosed with autism. The book describes the training and support Nathan received from his family, special needs teachers, and in a special school for autistic children. As Nathan progressed and entered an inclusion program in a regular school, he struggled to be accepted by his classmates. The book has a great ending!

Written in a way that a child could understand, this is an excellent book for adults as well as children. It has something for educators, parents and other interested parties to use and learn from. Families with an autistic child will relate to the book in the despair the diagnosis can bring and the joy of each success. I would love to give a copy to every family with a young child just receiving a diagnosis.

Nathan's Journey is a wonderful book describing the life and routines of a young autistic boy growing up in Massachusetts. It shows young Nathan as he interacts with family and friends, goes to school, participates in general after school programs, and takes the special treatment and training needed to help him develop. Many non-fiction books have been written over the years about handicapped children, but few of these books have been on children of color. In addition, this story also includes Nathan's experiences as he visits his grand parents in Jamaica. The writing is good and the photographs are especially noteworthy. This is an excellent story and resource for children of all ages, their families, and their teachers.

Shows how just about anyone can retire a millionaire. They only thing which stands in your way is the fat-beyond-belief, completely ineffective and clumsy Uncle Sam. Imagine a whole nation of millionaires (and that's with very low or no inflation). The fact is - it's 100% doable, read the book and you'll find out how.

This is a nice fast read on how we should reduce government control of our money and give it back to the citizens, empowering them to make their own decisions about how their own money should be spent. The government has not been a good steward of our money as far as benefitting its citizens and Genetski mentions that only you know what is in your own best interest, not the government. The book represents the more sensible side of libertarianism.

The best way for us become millionaires by the end of our working lives is to reform the pyramid scam of social security by having us invest our money in our own private retirement accounts where we would gain interest on our own investments over time. As it is now, the social security system is bankrupt and there is no money being invested for our future retirements, but we are only paying for the benefits of retirees living now. Genetski has a fair plan for what to do with retirees' benefits now. Chile and other South American countries have already achieved positive results by privatizing their social security system and avoiding the waste. mismanagement, and scams that governments inevitably create.

The next area that needs to be reformed is health care in which citizens should be able to have their own private investment accounts to provide for their own health care. As it is now, the government-funded healthcare system is causing costs to skyrocket and decisions about your healthcare are beginning to made by bureaucrats, not by you as a citizen. Part of being a free citizen is having the ability to make your own decisions about your retirement, education, and healthcare and not having the government decide for you.

Other reforms which would help us get our wealth back from the government is privatizing education, doing cost/benefit analysis on regulations, making environmentalism market-based, and achieving tort reform in the legal system.

As far as educational reform goes, Genetski proves his point that private education is cheaper and better than public education. The money sunk into public education should be given to the citizen to make their own decisions about which schools they should give their money to. Such a system would produce the excellence that competition between schools would bring. The near monopoly of public education now is giving us an inferior education at a high price.

Genetski proves that even the lowest paid worker can end up a millionaire at the end of his working life, if these reforms are made. If only our government had our best interests in mind and there weren't special interests blocking our way, I suppose these reforms could be made much more quickly.

Amidst declining prosperity, stagnating economic growth, and lower savings rate - a large portion of America's population is faced with little or no money for retirement and stagnating income that loses to inflation. Genetski offers a true vision of the American Dream - repealing the sacred cows of the New Deal and the Great Society in favor of an opportunity society where we the people gain unprecedented control of the fruits of their labor. In this opportunity society, "the private, productive work force is so attractive, no one can afford to be left out." Among the remedies in this free-market prescription our: Social Security privatization, medical savings accounts, reforming the education system and tort reform. There is in an old saying that when you subsidize failure and poverty you get more of both-vis-a-vis, when you subsidize savings and investment capital, you reap more prosperity.

This is a terrifc book in that it not only lucidly explains the framework of the Natural Step but also gives some excellent practical examples of major corporations starting down the path towards sustainability. This will give them a great competitive edge. With examples like the Natural Step model being applied by the likes of IKEA and Interface one can remain optimistic in the face of the torrent of negatives about the degenerating nature of the world environment. I hope that this book will encourgae others to look nto what the Natural Step has to offer..

The authors provide a real service with this book. So far much of the published work on The Natural Step framework has remained conceptual, without a lot of practical examples of the model in practice. The case examples of IKEA, Collins Pine, and Interface provide valuable references for organizational managers and consultants who are working to build more sustainable organizations. I highly recommend this book.

Exceptional book describing the background of the Natural Step process but more importantly provides evidence that companies who embrace sustainabilty in every aspect will be well rewarded for their efforts. Well done with loads of detail.

MR Bradley has the ability to cut through the confusing and amorphous news and rhetoric, and offer logical and concise reasonings for what is exploding around us[the wars, the economy etc]. He comes from an enlightened perspective, of being politically neutral, and then his thoughts are presented. His theme castigating our current partisan politics[alienating politics], resounds and reverberates throughout, as we[the reader]embraces his concepts of discourse based upon mutual respect and discourse without zealotry.
I truly appreciate his bluntness , and find myself agreeing with his creative ideas. I am not as mature [ I'm not talking about age] as the author, but am a better person for having read his book.
It should be a must read for all of us, because we need to climb out of our "we-them" mentality, and Mr Bradley offers us a pathway.
Lastly, this is an easy read, and evokes heartfelt good emotions.

Having read this book twice now, I have come to understand the how's and why's people have this need to affiliate with either political party. I think most Americans are moderate's who are conservative on some issues and liberal on others. I wish more of my fellow Americans would read this book and try to understand that neither party has the best interest of the voters and that there is nothing wrong with being an Independant which would at least help keep the politicians a little more mindful of who they cater to. This is a book of ideas which goes beyond the normal bashing of political parties. For those of you who are "my party right or wrong" types this book will educate you and help you understand that the world isn't black and white but many shades in between.

Mr. Bradley has a great way of breaking down very complicated political concepts into a very easy-to-read, and sometimes even fun, book that really helped me understand my own political philosophy. I've always wondered why I wonder -- do I have my dad's political views or my own? I'm 45 and I think Mr. Bradley's book gave me my own direction for the first time in my life. I can now sift through the media-chosen snippets of what they say is important to get at what really matters to me. This book will be on my gift list for young and old friends and family. Thank you, Mr. Bradley, for sharing this insightful, clear, and concise tool for everyone. I figure if enough people read this book and demand change, the politicians are going to have to listen to us!

William Chang has very successfully introduced a number of diverse networking concepts some specifically used only in the DoD's (Department of Defense's) and others used in commercial telecom/IT environments and identified how these concepts together can be profitably used by the Network-Centric Service Oriented Enterprises in both commercial and DoD worlds. Although the scope and number of topics covered are very broad, author has gone into sufficient technical depth and provided additional references for those who want to pursue the subject matter further. A few of the topics worth mentioning are - description and comparison of emerging ITU/TMF's eTOM and DoD's GIG, and value of combined solution using these two; and Service Modeling in the context of Service Knowledge Management. Overall, I highly recommend this book, to all network professionals in general, and systems engineers and planners in particular.

The two most powerful concepts in Networks, Telecom, and Information Technology today are:

1) The DoD's (Department of Defense's) "Network-Centric Operations" -- which provides information and decision superiority in a decentralized, loosely-coupled, wireless, mobile ad-hoc, "fog-of-war" network environment; and

2) The Commercial Telecom/IT world's "Service-Oriented Architecture" -- which enables independent, interoperable, inter-communicating, mobile ad-hoc services across a System-of-Systems "fog-of-business" enterprise.

The powerful combination of these two concepts requires an author with experience in both the detailed technical understanding of futuristic military "Net-Centric" networks; and a thorough knowledge of commercial enterprise-oriented business operations, telecommunications, information technology, and technical expertise in Service-Oriented Architectures.

William Chang has successfully married these two fields to evolve the next step for competitive businesses using Networks and Information Technology in the "Network-Centric Service Oriented Enterprise." Mr. Chang takes the reader through the important concepts of Information Superiority, Speed of Execution, Service-oriented Enterprises and Architectures, Network-Centric Business Operations, and how to merge these concepts into a competitive business advantage.

Mr. Chang also "deep-dives" into the technical details of the Global Information Grid, Wireless Network Technologies, Wireless Sensor Networks, Building a Wireless Transport Service, Network Management and Service Monitoring, Service Quality Management and Prioritization, as well as Security and Information Assurance. Mr. Chang then adds Service Knowledge Management and ties all of these subjects together into a total approach to the Net-Centric Service-Oriented Enterprise.

Overall, a 5-star rating and a leap forward in how advanced technology can create information superiority to make businesses more competitive.

Mr. Chang puts it all together in his book Network-Centric Service Oriented Enterprise (NCSOE). This book is an excellent body of work and an essential text for anyone involved in networking.

Mr Chang's book has far-reaching implications for current networks and projects under development for emergency response, government, and commercial applications. Economic, legal, and technical drivers pave the way for Network-Centric Service Oriented Enterprise. Network centric is the wave of our technical future and Mr. Chang's book is a must read for all network professionals.

Rick Gallaher
Author/ Sr. Engineer

AnnaLee Saxenian has a clear vision of how the global economy is being transformed. Like Jason's mythic quest for the Golden Fleece, the new economic landscape is being conquered less by policy makers, global investors, and multinational corporate behemoths than by legions of modern day Argonauts - technically skilled entrepreneurs from many nations who "sail" back and forth between their home countries and their other home in Silicon Valley.

Traditional economic worldviews assumed that the success of companies and countries from peripheral 20th century economies - Taiwan, China, India, Israel - were destined to build on the successes and advancements of leading edge G8 economies (U.S., Japan, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia). These worldviews anticipated a constant brain drain from the trailing economies to the leading economies, assuming talent would aggregate and then remain where the opportunity was. And, until recently, there was plenty of evidence for this view.

Not anymore.

Today's global economic reality has turned this worldview on its ear - or at the very least forced a serious revision. The percentage of talent who come to the U.S. to be educated and then remain here to work has reversed - to spell it out: More people are returning to their homes to seek opportunity, even after many years in the U.S.

One current worry is that the U.S. now faces a brain drain as these technologically astute entrepreneurs exit our economy. Saxenian discovered that what we're experiencing is not a brain drain but a "brain circulation." Many, often two or more from the same country, are founding companies that think globally from day one. Rather than just competing on low cost - the traditional assumption of competitive advantage - they have mainly pursued strategic, innovative, value added trajectories all the while maintaining close ties to Silicon Valley relationships, technology and markets. Instead of attempting to reproduce Silicon Valley back home, these Argonauts are establishing complementary versions of Silicon Valley, each with its specialization. This has effectively given rise to a global technology business ecosystem. Within this system, the Argonauts are able to locate foreign partners as needed, manage complex organizations across cultures and languages, circulate know-how, and attract talent and capital. On top of which they make significant contributions to world-class education and research.

Read the entire review at http://insidework.net/resources/readinglist/entry-0000013647

Excellent view of Silicon Valley's now and future in the Flat world! This author is excel in comparing Silicon Valley with new 'Want be Silicon Valley' regions. Especially her comments on the differentiators that are based on lot of interviews are extremely valuable for these challengers. In summery, openness, strong wishes to keep in the leading edge that the author viewed as Silicon Valley excel are the true differentiators of the region from many others.

AnnaLee Saxenian has long been a follower of localized firm and professional networks in the hi-tech industry, highlighting their superiority over corporate hierarchies in her book "Regional Advantage." More recently, in "The New Argonauts," she has turned to ethnic professional networks in Silicon Valley, especially in the Indian, Chinese and Israeli communities. These networks, originally founded for social purposes, evolved to become professional networks for advice, capital and know-how for immigrant entrepreneurs. As immigrant entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley identified business opportunities in their home countries, the networks extended to support these new ventures. They also tied into their home-countries' networks through alumni associations and family ties.

Thus, organizations that were once highly localized began to reach across continents - and their benefits with them. Access to tacit knowledge (technical and managerial), a common understanding of entrepreneurship, shared language and culture have all been considered factors that are bound by geography and contribute to the success of regional economies. Now, they are transcending vast distances thanks to the kinds of networks described by Saxenian. New "Argonauts" (people who work in two or more regions, shuttling back and forth several times per month) literally carry market and technological knowledge, contacts, business models and capital around the world.

As a result, "Silicon Valley, once the uncontested technology leader, is now integrated into a dynamic network of specialized and complementary regional economies. These new technology regions are not replicas of Silicon Valley, nor are they becoming new Silicon Valleys [...] Even as the returnees seek to use their experience in Silicon Valley to reshape these institutions, distinctive regional and national histories ensure that the identities and technology trajectories of these regions are unlikely to converge."

Saxenian emphasizes the role of entrepreneurial networks over multinational enterprises. Multinationals have traditionally been seen as the prime diffusers of new technologies to "following" economies. In Saxenian's view, they will be supplanted here, as they were in the U.S. hi-tech industry.

I am a consultant to business-owners, and I recommend this book to my clients. It is very practical and informative, especially if you're starting a manufacturing business.

Before reviewing this excellent book, understand your answer to the Question I pose: Are you in-it for the autonomy and good-work, or .. are you in-it for the position/money/biz/game rush?

The answer to this question /defines/ your business/career commitment, so know it now.

Once you've answered the question, though, then NO MATTER which answer you discovered yours to be ( and almost all business-books, including this one, assume that ONLY entrepreneurs exist, and don't consider propreneurs or our needs/motivations... )
... this book you need. It gives you the what, the why, the /sense/ of startup-surviving.

Excellent book. These guys have /really/ been there: when they say ( paraphrase ) "fix it right, or you're paying endlessly and /still/ not having it right" they give examples... including one where the standard chemical-engineering-textbook version of what they were doing wasn't correct! Only by having the active integrity to perceive-it-right, and fix-it-right, up-front can one survive competition ( and having one's textbooks all be incorrect on a point fundamental to one's own current endeavour, is competitive pressure from a /really/ unexpected quarter ).

The rest of the book? Ah, that's for you to read, eh?

I'll give you the TOC, though, since it isn't included above in the book-data listed ( and I'm including page-numbers so you get the sense of the quantity-of-information given to each area in the book )

Preface
Acknowledgements
1. Preparing Yourself - 1
2. The Business Concept - 24
3. Building a Team - 53
4. Market Research - 84
5. Finding Your Niche - 105
6. The Marketing Function - 125
7. Sales Tactics - 147
8. Production - 171
9. Research and Development - 189
10. Financial Planning - 207
11. Management Systems - 228
12. The Business Plan - 247
13. Finding Capital - 259
Appendix: Assorted Unavoidable Topics - 287
Reading List - 297
Index - 301

One of the most logical, useful books ever written. Can jump around or read from the start. Concentrates on real-world examples and less on financial abstracts. Especially good section on analyzing a field before you get in, then tells how to best enter. Recommended also by INC Magazine.