Enterprise Books

Only two types of people should read "Passing the Bucks": people who own businesses and people who will someday die.

It is Norman Pappas' factual yet enjoyable presentation of personal financial essentials that separates "Passing the Bucks" from similar books. Believe me, I've struggled to read many of them in an effort to understand how to keep Uncle Sam at bay and preserve the results of a lifetime of work for my heirs and business partners. Now I've finally got it!

The author is an obvious authority on wills and trusts, business succession, insurance, estate taxes, corporate benefits and personal financial planning.

However, it's the WAY he brings it all across that makes it all so digestible. You can almost see this book - and its chuckle-filled Q&A format - as a TV series with Jerry Seinfeld or Tim Allen as the baffled businessman (hey, they're just sitting around counting their money now anyway).

The ease of finally understanding the alphabet soup of trust options (GRIT, GRAT, CLAT, CLUT, QTIP) makes us want to put together a plan NOW to protect our assets. I never realized that my children might only see 27% of my IRA dollars! And who knew that it costs me $155 to make a gift of $100 while I'm alive...but $222 to give the same $100 in a will when I'm gone? I know now!

As Mr. Pappas says, we and our accountants and lawyers are too busy putting out the day-to-day brush fires to deal with the forest fire that's just over the horizon.

I now feel confident that the people I love will be the biggest beneficiaries - literally - of my having read "Passing the Bucks."

Norman Pappas has made good on the promise in his book's title; it really does help the reader understand the obstacles to passing wealth from one generation to the next - and how to go over, under, and around those roadblocks.

This is a solid, common sense, easily-read guideline for those who are wise enough to learn from others how to preserve what it took a lifetime to build.

In "Passing the Bucks", Mr Pappas, a highly successful life underwriter and financial planner provides the highly affluent with an epicurean feast of wealth preservation techniques that he has used in over twenty-five years of hands on experience. The book is divided into two sections. The first deals with the passing of business assets, the second with personal assets. While written in a voluble question and answer format, the book is also a compendium of wealth transfer ideas that can and should be saved for future reference. Mr Pappas states that estate planning is a perpetual process that cannot be done in one afternoon with a group of professional advisors. The issues are complex and unique to each individual and must be continually reevaluated in the face of changing personal situations and governmental regulations.

"Passin the Bucks", is not, and does not claim to be a substitute for professional advice. Instead it should be used by the individual to gain knowledge so that he/she can come to the table with his/her advisors armed with the knowledge to carry on an efficient and intelligent discourse. With a little time and effort this volume will provide the affluent individual with information needed to preserve assets that have been acquired over a lifetime. So long as the government, through odious tax policy, continues to destroy family bussinesses and conficates already taxed personal assets, people like Mr. Pappas will be a welcome savior.

CGJM@AOL.COM

Alexandra Powe Allred brings an inspiring and informative book based on 25 examples of women who have achieved astounding success in business, along with what drove them to their heights. You will learn how to "identify your chosen field" how to break down boundaries, "doing your homework" how to "market yourself and your business" and much more. One of my favorite examples for strategy is about Jenny Craig, and the "recommended steps for success" provided: "Set your goal;" "Understand your market;" "Research several aspects of the business and your product"; "Identify your resources"; "Learn what you need to know"; "Develop your marketing skills"; "Hone your people skills"; "Believe in yourself and your goal."

Most importantly, this book will inspire you to hopefully look within and discover what you are absolutely PASSIONATE about doing and being in your life. It is your heart-felt passion that fuels your energy to do what it takes to live your dreams, while you joyfully create the success you deserve along the way.

Highly recommended for the inspiring stories of HOW women started from scratch and created the life and success they deserve, as well as for the in-depth resource guide at the back of the book, bringing you complete contact information for excellent organizations and publications, that can aid you in creating the success you deserve.

Barbara Rose, Ph.D. author of Stop Being the String Along: A Relationship Guide to Being THE ONE and If God Was Like Man
Editor, inspire! magazine

Too often women in our culture are discouraged and prevented from becoming independent businesspeople. The Western capitalist business paradigm desprately needs the passionate and nurturing influence of our creative women. Passion Rules focuses on the struggles and experiences of 25 successful women entrepreneurs. Their inspiring stories serve as powerful mentoring tools for any person with a creative independent spirit. We are looking towards a new definition of successful business and women in our society stand poised at the forefront.

I just received my copy of Passion Rules! and I had to immediately sit down and read it. Of course the next thing I had to do was recommend it to everyone :) This book covers many of the basics in starting up a business and also points out some of the pitfalls that might befall someone who is going into business for themselves. This book is easy to read, clearly written, and very entertaining. I think it is a must-have for any woman thinking about going into business.

The two most prominent schools of thought for those committed to laissez-faire capitalism are Objectivism (the neo-Aristotelian philosophy of Ayn Rand) and the Austrian School of Economics founded by Carl Menger.

An essential difference between these two schools is that Objectivism is a full-orbed philosophy which contains an explicit political and ethical justification for capitalism. Austrian Economics, on the other hand, presents itself as an explicitly value-free system of thought. Austrians argue that while capitalist economies will increase wealth and benefit the public at large, any ethical justification for capitalism is not intrinsic to the Austrian method. For example, Ludwig von Mises considered ethics outside the domain of science and made his ethical case (to the extent one could call it that) for capitalism on utilitarian grounds. In addition, Mises was explicitly Kantian in his epistemology and considered his methodology (which he called praxeology) to be based on Kantian assumptions. And while we tend to associate Austrian Economics with laissez-faire capitalism, some Austrians have not been consistent defenders of free enterprise. One thinks of Friedrich von Hayek, whom Rand bitterly opposed.

Nonetheless, Rand praised the economic writings of Mises while noting her disagreements with the philosophical sections of her work. However, as her posthumously published Marginalia indicate, she was in fact downright hostile to his ethical and epistemological theories. Rand believed that Mises' utilitarianism and Kantianism could not provide the appropriate methodological foundation for economics or provide a philosophical foundation for a free society. In fact (if her Marginalia constitutes her reasoned evaluation of Mises) she considered him a "neo-mystic" because of his Kantian approach. One need not be an expert on Rand's thought to know that "mystic" was one of the harshest terms in the Randian lexicon. Things went from bad to worse in her eyes with Mises' American follower Murray Rothbard. Although Rothbard was an Aristotelian whose ethics shared similarities to Rand's, he helped launch the modern libertarian movement and advocated anarcho-capitalism. Rand's hostility toward libertarianism has continued in much of the Objectivist movement today, and some of it has spilled over into hostility toward Austrian Economics as such.

The Austrian attitude toward Objectivism is less uniform. Many Austrians appreciate Rand an important advocate of capitalism and are grateful for her advocacy of Mises' books, but consider her thought insufficiently rigorous to be considered philosophy. Others, such as George Reisman, have sought to combine Austrian Economics and Objectivism, as in his magisterial work Capitalism.

Professor Edward Younkins thinks its time for a détente if not a rapprochement. By looking back toward the Aristotelianism of Carl Menger and forward to a potential synthesis of Rand and Austrianism, he thinks he can break the impasse. If Austrians understand their Mengerian (and therefore Aristotelian) roots better, and if Objectivists do a better job of understanding Austrian methodology, perhaps some of the distrust that has placed these two schools at loggerheads can be broken.

In this excellent, well-organized, and easily readable book, Younkins makes a convincing case that the Austrian value-free defense of capitalism and the moral arguments of Objectivism and the Aristotelian philosophy of human flourishing are complementary and compatible. In this thought-provoking book, Younkins presents 12 relevant essays from a variety of philosophers and economists and frames them within his own four insightful essays. His chapters alone are worth the price of the book! His first three essays clearly introduce the readers to the basic arguments of Menger, Mises, and Rand. Then, after presenting the 12 fine essays by other scholars, he provides a framework or architectonic of a potential Austrian-Objectivist paradigm for a free society. Younkins shows that no field is totally independent of all other fields and that there really no discrete branches of knowledge. He understands that any real truth is always compatible with other truths.

This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the critical and inextricable relationships between the economics and the philosophy of the free society. Only a person like Younkins, who has a broad transciplinary understanding of the social order, could have written such an integrative work. The author expertly links the work of Aristotle, Menger, Mises, Rand, and others to argue in favor of the free society. Younkins persuasively argues that the study of human action, when properly grounded in natural law, reveals the connection between economics and morality. This book is consistent with his popular classic, Capitalism and Commerce, and offers a
powerful, emergent libertarian synthesis of tremendous promise.

Piana is a book that explores relationships through the many compelling stories within this story. The author takes you into a time and place that you know of only through the stories your grandparents have shared with you as a child. Through the truth of those stories you are able to better understand the issues of race today. Piana, takes place in the 1800's in Charleston on a plantation. The plantation owner's wife befriends Emmanuel, a little slave boy and teaches him to play the piano. The other slaves dub him Piana. This slave boy under the guidance of a white slave owner's wife is able to develop his gift to master the piano, during a time when such a talent, if made public, could only mean trouble for a slave. The book takes on many twists and turns to peek your interest all the way to the very unusual ending. This novel takes the reader back to relive a life and time that has molded many of our relationships, beliefs, and thinking of today.

I read this novel not knowing what to expect. What I found was a story about the South that I did not know. Mr. Mayhem has written a very historical novel that pleads to be made into a movie! I can't wait!

The book Piana, for me, was an excellent example of "Don't judge a book by it's cover." In all honesty, when I first attempted to read Piana, I had difficulty with the first few pages and therefore, I put it aside. However, I revisited several days later and when I started to grasp the significance of the first chapter, I WAS HOOKED! I could not put the book down because I began to feel somewhat of a kinship with Emmanuel and the relationship he had with his mother.

I am an avid reader, slow, but I believe that's why I enjoyed this book so much. As much as I like to read, when I get into a book, I really get into it. And that's exactly what happen when I made my second attempt to read Lemuel Mayhem's debut novel.

The conflict of forbidden love, the historical researched involved in the project, the Calhoun-Clay-Webster debates, as well as the racial scenarios from Emmanuel's relationship with Mrs. Katherine to her husband William Littlejohn and the new slave girl on the plantation, "Winnie," this saga is saturated with scenarios to keep the reader pondering the outcome throughout the book.

Lemuel Mayhem does not, and will not dissappoint with Piana. Hopefully, most people will be convinced of this fact the first time they pick up the book.

A superb book from an outstanding leader! Having served with Chief Hatcher in the late 1990s, I can tell you from firsthand experience that Chief Hatcher definitely utilized the leadership principles and techniques he advocates in Pillars of Strength -- and they work! While Pillars of Strength is written from a military perspective, everyone can benefit from Don's insight and wisdom. As a matter of fact, Pillars of Strength should be required reading for all new supervisors and those serving in leadership positions. I strongly recommend this book for anyone who wants to be a more effective leader! Pillars of Strength

This is a concise, easy-read that succinctly illustrates leadership lessons everyone can learn from. Hatcher's first-person account makes the reader feel you're walking in his shoes, learning as he learns. But what really makes this book unique is the Non-Commissioned Officer's perspective. A lot of retired generals and admirals share their lessons...through books, as television military analysts, et cetera. But seldom do we get the insight Hatcher provides--life through the eyes of the sergeant. These are lessons that helped him grow and succeed as one of most senior enlisted NCO's in the U.S. Air Force.

Absolutely tremendous. This is a rare book -- leadership from a senior enlisted perspective. Military enlisted corps leaders directly impact the majority of Servicemembers. This book highlights unsurpassed leadership skills applicable to any leader -- military or civilian. Don Hatcher's book distills 30 active duty years of experience from this top enlisted leader. His rank, paygrade E-9, is by Federal law, limited to only 1 per cent of the Service's total enlisted personnel. Great stories from his career illustrate his insightful leadership points. Wonderful perspective!

After all of the recent natural disasters, I thought it would be a good idea to prepare a little. This book really opened my eyes! It isn't so much about surviving natural disasters as it is about facing evacuation. Apparently there is a minimum of three days from the time something happens and when the Red Cross and National Guard get there to start helping people. After hurricane Katrina, they admit that the three day estimate might be a bit of an understatement . . . after a large disaster, you might be on your own up to two weeks without outside help.

Even if you don't live in an area at risk for earthquakes or hurricanes, there are plenty of smaller disasters that trigger evacuations: fire at a chemical plant; a truck (or train) crashing and spilling dangerous contents; a dam breaking. Hurricanes and wildfires might leave you more time to prepare, but a lot of smaller disasters don't. These things are more common than you'd imagine, and once I started paying attention to the news, I noticed that small scale evacuations are happening all the time. You often get only a couple of minutes to gather your family and get out, which leaves no time to pack or gather supplies.

"Plan . . . Not Panic" teaches you how to prepare an evacuation kit for your family--something to keep packed and stored in a safe, easily accessible place, so that you need only grab it and go in an emergency.

Every time I re-read the book, I discover some new piece of advice. It's easy to read, easy to understand, and it has scattered bits of humor and personal experiences throughout, so you learn what you need to know without being overwhelmed. It prepares you for what it would be like to stay in an emergency shelter, so that when faced with an evacuation you aren't as stressed. In particular, I like that she says to be sure to pack entertainment . . . books, crossword puzzles, a deck of cards, anything compact that you can use to take your mind off the situation. Also, she says to include comfort items, little things that will ease your stress. All very good ideas!

I loaned my copy to my mother, who actually began preparing the family's kits before I got around to making ours! I bought a second copy and sent it to a friend in California, and she was quite impressed as well. Now I'm buying a third, to send to my mother-in-law. It makes a perfect gift for loved ones, and I cannot recommend it enough!

(Note: This is an older edition of the book. The newer edition has a red and white cover, and contains a few changes. (The revised title is "It's Time to Plan, Not Panic") Mainly, it points out that the lag time before help arrives might be longer than just 72 hours.)

A friend recommended that I get this book. I really like the outline format that showed me how to go from one subject to the next as I tried to figure out what our family would need. All of the news headlines have been frightening. This book showed me that I could at least try to do something to help myself. I also liked the fact that it gave me choices and I could work it into my budget.

I loved how easy to read and understand this book on preparedness is. Barbara made me feel like I could take care of myself and my family in an emergency. Even if the situation is bad, I can be prepared so we can at least cope. There were some ideas I'd never even considered before, that certainly made a lot of sense. I highly recommend this book.

This is a must read for anyone who is a member of a homeowner association. Linford's explanations of how to successfully live within homowners associations are detailed yet simple enough for the layman. This is a great book to have on your bookshelf as a reference.

I think I have found the best kept secret in this growing circle of CA homeowner's associations - John Linford's "Planned Community Living." Whether it is deciphering foreign acronyms and terms (i.e. CID, CCR, appurtenant interests, indemnification), dealing with power-hungry board members, or trying to settle a seemingly simple dispute over the height of a fence - this book finally helped me understand the foundational issues surrounding the places where many of us live. Buying and settling into a home is agonizing enough. Dealing with escrow, title, loan managers and realtors will test our patience. Add on top of this the "association" with their dues, covenants, conditions and restrictions, and I soon wondered where my freedom went of owning my own home. There are many benefits, like privacy, golf courses and swimming pools, but this was like walking into a foreign country without my Berlitz. The best time to read this book is before you commit yourself to living in a planned community. But, buy it anyway, even if you have already started paying your dues. It will help you navigate the legal side so that you can understand the issues and stand on solid ground when presenting your concerns. I recommended this book to one friend who was thinking about becoming a member of a homeowner's association and another who was already a board member. Both thanked me! Another plus, is that the publisher provides an annual update, discussing all the new laws each year that affect property owners and homeowners association. This is a real estate textbook worth 5x the asking price. It should be included in the package for every new homeowner, board member or property manager. There is a downside to the author if this were to happen......the annual association's legal fees would probably decrease substantially! What can I say - buy it!

I recently purchased this book about the rights of homeowner association members. this is the greatest laymens book. All documented by case law so you know your rights and what to do about them.

Although Playboy is what it is, and because of the reason why many people purchase the magazine, there needs to be an understanding of the true content of the magazine through the years. Remember that the magazine is usually only 20% sex and nude women. That leaves 80% every month to be used for art, technology, controversial editorials, interviews, etc. This tome is huge and heavy, and I'm glad it takes the reader through a tour of 50 years of the COMPLETE world of Playboy. If you only want naked women, don't buy this - buy either "The Playmate Book" or "Blondes", "Brunettes", or "Redheads".

This book was definitely more than I expected with it's vibrant pictures and outstanding content. It gives you an in-depth peek into the world of Playboy above and beyond the photos. I also found the simple black hardcover to be very discreet.

This book is well put together with beautiful pictures. The pictures are high quality and this book is really a conversation starter! The Playboy book began with pictures of Marilyn Monroe, which I have never seen before and they are beautiful. One thing that was disapointing were some of the stories. The print was so small that you could not read the story, only the captions. Another thing to watch out for is the dust jacket. It's very easy to see any small marks and the gold scratchs off easily. Keep it in a cloth to protect it. I recommend this book to everyone, even if you've never read a Playboy magazine!

I am the proud owner of the complete Home Improvement series by Time-Life Books. This book has come in handy more times than I can say. The house I bought is 100 years old and the plumbing was in very bad shape. Time-Life's "Plumbing" had tips and tricks for every plumbing repair or upgrade project I worked on.

I like the new spiral bindings of this book. It allows the book to lay flat, without the pages turning on their own. The binding alone convinced me to update my library from the original hardcover series.

The drawings are very helpful in showing you what you should be looking for. I like the drawing much better than photos...they leave out minor details that would otherwise get in the way, leaving only the important details that let you get the job finished quickly and easily.

I recommend this book (and the entire series) to anyone interested in working on their home. Whether you are a beginner or experienced homeowner, this book will be the one you turn to for all your plumbing questions.

This book discusses many plumbing projects, including those which usually are considered the provenance of professional plumbers. A section lists and illustrates all the tools needed for work. The diverse topics in this book include: emergency repairs, the thawing of frozen pipes, unclogging of pipes no matter the location of the blockage; repairing a water boiler, faucet, shower, toilet, etc. There is also a section on home improvements, including the construction of an underground sprinkler system for lawn or garden.

There are many drawings which illustrate the procedures and the plumbing. Some are cutaways. Otherwise, components that are below ground or otherwise obscured by other things are shown in faded color or gray.

The authors give words of encouragement to the novice. They point out that any job, when done for the first time, is difficult. It gets easier with experience.

I am the proud owner of the complete Home Improvement series by Time-Life Books. This book has come in handy more times than I can say. The house I bought is 100 years old and the plumbing was in very bad shape. Time-Life's "Plumbing" had tips and tricks for every plumbing repair or upgrade project I worked on.

I like the new spiral bindings of this book. It allows the book to lay flat, without the pages turning on their own. The binding alone convinced me to update my library from the original hardcover series.

The drawings are very helpful in showing you what you should be looking for. I like the drawing much better than photos...they leave out minor details that would otherwise get in the way, leaving only the important details that let you get the job finished quickly and easily.

I recommend this book (and the entire series) to anyone interested in working on their home. Whether you are a beginner or experienced homeowner, this book will be the one you turn to for all your plumbing questions.

This is a wonderful book. Especially given the fact Jamie wrote it while in high school, it is very mature. The characters are very well done. I am looking forward to a sequel (hint)to see what life has for these people in the future. Keep on writing Jamie, you will go far.

First I want to say the review by Mayflower "vi" was spot on..I had to check to make sure I hadn't reviewed it myself already, her words were very close to what I would have written. I also feel this country has lost it's way with everything happening as it is, but if we can get back the fighting spirit as the folks did in this book, we can win..This is a great book for family reading and with Thanksgiving coming up it would be a good time to read it as a family, and maybe instill in the young folk what it really takes to be a true American. Loved the book, and I am anxiously waiting for Jamie Ogle's next novel.

I loved this book. From the very beginning, it captivated me and I felt like I knew these people personally and could feel their joys, sorrows, pains, agonies, and accomplishments. It truly does get the Pilgrims off of the table with the Thanksgiving Turkey and the gourds and reminds you of the sacrifices and hardships they endured (along with the love and twists and turns of life everyone has) to get to a new land to have freedom. If there was a ship in town right now, I'd be on it. You feel good when you are done reading it, as it is truth. It also brings you back to earth and makes you thankful. We take alot for granted, and as I spent time with these women and men, I realized we do alot of whining. These people had more than enough reasons to whine, yet, they forged on, fighting for life and falling in love despite their circumstances. They also were not compromising. Integrity, honor, decency, and excitement! LOVE IT! It's a great book for young people as well.