Front-office Books

This is the book I've always wanted to read! I had just turned 6 when Pearl Harbor was bombed and my uncle and most of the other men in our family and neighborhood disappeared to that thing called "WAR"! I prayed for all of them and wondered, "Where did they go, what happened to them, what was it like?" My uncle was captured in the Battle of the Bulge, spent time in a German prison camp and came home very different - now I know and understand better why! Reading Prof. Harrison's book I finally know what happened to the young men who were suddenly jerked from their families, schools, futures, through no fault or desire of their own, and were trained and sent to see and do things they could not have previously imagined. They were pushed to and beyond limits they did not know they had, degraded, treated like cattle at times by our own army, and thus molded into a great and loyal fighting unit.

How any of our men experienced this and stayed sane, that they were able to return home to slip back into the lives they had expected, is incredible. I have read every book I find on World War II and studied military history in college trying to understand and know what happened, what war is REALLY like for our men. I've always known it wasn't what we saw on the movie screen. Now I know. Thanks to Prof. Harrison's detail and honesty, it is possible to get a sense of what it was like for the draftee. UNSUNG VALOR is very properly named - to go when called, to perform with the best of your abilities, to respond to the unknown and unbelievable with fear and courage, that is valor at its best - and it was unsung.

To survive, to return home, to teach hundreds of teenagers to speak properly in public, to act and produce plays, to put up with all the campus nonsense that young people in their late teens and early twenties produce, and to never lose your cool, never tell them what he saw and experienced at their age - that was also UNSUNG VALOR! A. Cleveland Harrison is an unusual man and has written a book that should be required reading of all Americans!

"Unsung Valor" by A. Cleveland Harrison. Subtitled: "A GI's Story Of World War II". University Press of Mississippi, Jackson. 2000.

This is a very complete and detailed book, tracing the experiences of a skinny Southern boy, (in 1943), drafted into the United States Army, deciding on the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP), trained at the University of Mississippi, transferred into a regular Army unit (the 94th Division) and then sent to the European Theater of Operations, ETO, just when things were becoming really hot. General George Marshall had shut down the Army Specialized Training Program so as to supply warm bodies as replacements for all the causalities in the ETO. The author, A. Cleveland Harrison, recounts being wounded (88 artillery fire,) as his Division advanced on the town of Orscholz, his treatment, infection, his stint in hospital and, finally, his recovery. Then, he remained in England until his reassignment, April 1945, to the hostilities in Europe. Happily, the war in Europe ended in May 1945, and the author became a "Clerk-Typist" in Versailles, France and later, a "Mail Clerk-Draftsman" in Frankfurt am Main.

If you have had the opportunity to study the history of World War II, you probably have been exposed to the grand strategies of different battles, the movement of this numbered unit on one side against another number on the other side. You might even have become impatient with the stories of how one American general (or two) could not get along with a certain British field marshal, and begin to wonder how many people were killed by the egoistical personalities of such high ranking individuals. So, this present work, by A. Cleveland Harrison, is a refreshing relief in its detailed examination of the feelings and daily experiences of an ordinary Americana solider in the ETO

I became the fiftieth reviewer of this book because of the correspondence form Dr. Harrison prodding me to add his book to my Amazon Listmania list on the Army Specialized Training Program, ASTP. The first two chapters of Dr. Harrison's book deal extensively with the Army Specialized Training Program. certainly merit a place on any list on the ASTP. Thos chapters speak about an ASTP experience at a Southern university, which, from what I read, quite different than the ASTP experience at Manhattan College, my alma mater. I do not believe that an ASTPer at Manhattan College had to be concerned with how to wear a saber without getting the weapon caught between his legs. On the other hand, the Manhattan College ASTPer had to be concerned with living in an apartment on 7th Avenue.

I am happy to join some 45 other Amazon reviewers in assigning five stars to this book.

Unsung Valor is truly an extraordinary book. I am 44 years old and have studied World War II rather extensively in the past. However, this book has revealed this war (and all wars) to me in a way that is completely surprising and unique. I now have a different frame of reference for studying all wars, especially World War II. For someone like me who has never served in the military, this book provides an invaluable insight to truly understanding the realities of war. The common, mundane, everyday details, which are made so interesting, provide a setting which only heightens the intensity of the actual battle scenes in an unusually enriching and exciting way. This book reads so easily you literally feel as if you are going through the experiences with Dr. Harrison. Unsung Valor brings the reality of war to the reader in a unique way and succeeds where most other narrowly focused books fail. Dr. Harrison should be commended for educating a younger public on the extraordinary sacrifices made by ordinary men who answered when their nation called. It is well worth the read and the time invested.

After posting a message on the 94th Infantry Division's website looking for information on the attack on Orsholz, Germany January 20-21, 1945 I was contacted by Cleveland Harrison. Mr. Harrison put me in contact with other members of the 301st Regiment of the 94th Division who were with a family friend when he was captured outside of Orsholz. Mr. Harrison mentioned his book and suggested it might provide more detail about the battle. After reading his book I was amazed at the clarity and detail of his recollections. I have corresponded several times with Mr. Harrison, and he was gracious enough to sign my copy of his book with a dedication to my friend. His story is wonderfully expressed as the memories and journey of one man in a time of fear and uncertainty. It is written in a way that will touch the average person, and make them understand, if only for a moment, what it was like to see the world through his eyes.
To all the 94th Division veterans, and to you Cleveland, thank you for your service.
Welcome Home.

Upon reading Unsung valor I discovered that Cleveland Harrison and I had been inducted into the army the same day at Little Rock, Arkansas,we went through the same sweltering day of probings,punchings,bendings,spreadings, and at last were sworn into the Army of the United States.our serial numbers were just a few numbers apart,yet I never met Professor Harrison. Upon reading Unsung valor this fall I was immediately taken back in time to 1943, and to the years following throughout WWII of which our president Franklin Roosevelt said" This is the generation which has a rendezvous with destiny"I relived that traumatic,hectic day of gathering together the eighteen year olds of our state predominately ,recent high school graduates ,to perform the miracle of making us into soldiers and sailors to free a world in chains. That group of newly inducted soldiers went to all parts of the globe.Prof. Harrison went as a rifleman;I went into the Army Air Corp as an aerial gunner with the Eighth Air force and was shot down over Germany and spent the last months of the war as a P.O.W..Our generation kept that rendezvous and fully met the responsibility placed upon our young shoulders to the satisfaction of a grateful nation and world. Professor Harrison's book tells about all this through the eyes and heart of a young Arkansas lad who as we said in those day "took up arms as a boy,became a man overnight,and a hero in a twinkling of an eye,some to come home,some to remain. Since reading Unsung Valor I have met Cleveland Harrison via E-mail and have discovered that we have much in common. it took took 63 years and one most touching,moving literary epic to do this.For Professor Harrison's time,effort,and no doubt many shed tears,I am truly thankful to him. Hand Salute <><

Simlpy a great sports book

A First Hand Brooklyn Dodger history book, with a sense of humor, an informed point of view with a B/Q attitude...Bravo!!!

Unlike other books in this genre, does not romanticize the Brooklyn Dodgers nor mythologizes Jackie Robinson's contributions to baseball. This is an honest, well-written insider's account of baseball in the fifties and sixties.

This is a Gem, Funny First Hand history plus Harold Parrott knows how to write.

I am finally startung to understand why baseball has the "problems" it has. As Mr Parrott says these "Lords" truly are "little boys with big wallets"

Enjoy

This book was thouroughly enjoyable. I enjoyed the insights
and the annecdotes. Good sports reading-

Orison Swett Marden was the original editor-in-chief of the now defunct "Success" magazine. In fact, he probably rolled over in his grave when the magazine went out of publication. It was a time of mourning for me. In fact, I was just in the process of renewing my subscription when I found out..."Success" was no longer successful (how ironic).
This set of books is excellent. Most of the writing is examples of successful people from the past and present (1911). This type of motivational writing tends to get repetitive, however, there is a lot of advise tucked carefully between the many examples given. It was a very different world when the author wrote this book, but as I read it I noticed, the more things change, the more they stay the same. One difference I like is the chivalry and honesty exhibited from the time period. Even the highest standards of decency today are a far cry from that time. It was a lot of fun reading some of the examples from that era and knowing they were current events. These books are well worth the read, if you can find them.

This book is the greatest book that I have ever read next to the Bible. It is in my opinion the premiere self help of all times. After reading this book your life will never be the same. Marden is able to capture the essence of life, self development and true success. If you have read other self help books you will see how many modern day writers, used much of his material to develop their thoughts and philosophy.

Although this book was written in the early 20th century, its message is truly timeless.

Love it! :)

it was brand new when i recieved it
and there the book even brought the cd that came along with it

amazing price would of cost me ALOT more at the school bookstore

My oldest daughter is going to school and she uses the book. It helps her out as the class will not allow her to bring the book home from class and she is greatful that I had gotten it for her. She is also helping some of her classmates by making copies for them.

This book is perfect. The book is filled with helpful, easy to understand information on a complex subject. Very helpful and highly recommend!

Rimmer's text stands out among other medical billing introductory texts because of its emphasis on helping the student to understand and remember the material and because of its extra effort to help the student hit the ground running upon being hired. Each chapter, in addition to crystal clear material presentation, has key terms, objectives, terminology side-bar, summary, and review questions. The book also offers real life examples, a rich list of forms, case studies, glossary, index, and an Ingenix Encoder Pro CD for CPT, ICD-9, and HCPCS code lookup and reference software.

A great classroom text and an introductory book for anyone interested in the field of medical billing.

Yuval Lirov, Medical Billing Networks and Processes - Profitable and Compliant Revenue Cycle Management in the Internet Age

I WANT GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOTEL

Finally, a book that brings together all the aspects of Front Office with applicable Case Study's in each chapter. This is the type of text all Hospitality students must utilize.

I knew the book I was ordering, so there was no surprise there. Delivery was on time, so it was perfect.

The Korean war was very interesting from many standpoints. It was a war fought with limited objectives where the political process was involved with the fighting. While there was a desire to win, there was the ever present feet that the war could grow to World War III fought with nuclear weapons if the Soviet Union felt her basic interests threatened.

During the last two years of the war, truce talks were being conducted at the same time the war was being fought. Both sides tried with some success to induce more reasonable negotiating attitudes in their adversaries through the application of limited military pressure.

This book is the story of fighting while talking during the last years of the war. It is the official history written by the Army. It was written with access to all of the information available to the Army, except of course classified documents.

Of particular interest to me was following the negotiations. The style of the Communists worked well up against the representatives of a democracy who had political leaders back at home putting constraints on the outcome and journalists reporting everything back to the people. This kind of set the stage for the Viet Nam peace talks much later.

DEALING IS THE STORY OF THE CLEVELAND INDIANS RESURGANCE BACK TO A CONTENDER IN 2005 AND 2007. AUTHOR TERRY PLUTO GOES BEHIND THE SCENES AND HAS PROVIDED THE READER WITH NUMEROUS SCOUTING REPORTS, FINANCIAL DATA, OWNERSHIP INPUT AND TERRY'S PERSONAL INSIGHTS AND OPINIONS ON HOW THE INDIANS BECAME CONTENDERS AGAIN. HE BRINGS US BACK TO THE DAYS WHEN THE TEAM WAS OWNED BY DICK JACOBS AND RUN BY JOHN (SPEND ALL THE MONEY YOU CAN) HART. THE TRIBE DOMINATED THE CENTRAL DIVISION FROM 1995-99. THE TEAM WAS SOLD TO A DIFFERENT APPROACH OWNER IN FATHER AND SON MISERS LARRY AND PAUL DOLAN WHO MAKE SCROOGE LOOK LIKE GEORGE STEINBRENNER. THE PAYROLL WAS CUT, JOHN HART BAILED SHIP AND MARK (THE MIND) SHAPIRO BECAME GM AND HIRED ERIC (EINSTEIN) WEDGE AS MANAGER. THE TRIBE MADE SOME GOOD AND NOT SO GOOD TRADES DURING THIS TIME AND ALIENATED MUCH OF THE FAN BASE THEY HAD FOR MANY YEARS.(THE ATTENDANCE STILL STRUGLES EVEN WITH A GOOD TEAM) BUT EVENTUALLY THE TEAM HAS GOTTEN BETTER BUT LACKS CONSISTENCY. IF YOU ARE A TRIBE FAN, THIS IS A GREAT READ. IT IS ALSO A GOOD AND INTERESTING READ FOR ALL BASEBALL FANS WHO SEE HOW TO CREATE A CONTENDER ON A LOW TO MEDIUM BUDGET.

Dealing is another fabulous book by Cleveland's owne Terry Pluto. His books always hit the mark and here he pulls no punches on the Dolan/Shapiro era of the history of the Cleveland Indians.

a great look at how mark shapiro learned on the job and, with a pittance of a budget as compared to the likes of the red sox and the yankees, has created a truly competitive team for years to come.

Terry Pluto has a wealth of inside information about the professional sports scene in the Cleveland area. In this book he shows us what goes on in the front office and what goes into some of the decisions about players. If your are even a casual follower of the Indians, or MLB in general, you will be interested in reading this book. You'll get a whole new look at why a team has some of the players it does, and why it doesn't have some of the players it or you may have wanted.
A very, interesting read.

This new century's baseball team has different players than those in the good old days:
Moneyball
Fantasy
Reality
Business
Agents
Cable
Free Agency
Arbitration
Revenue Sharing
and of course, that good ol' reliable utility player

Hindsight

You can shuffle your lineup any way you want to, but at the end of the day, the deck is still stacked against the owner(s). Cleveland fans feel so deprived as none of their professional sports teams have won a championship for so many years, most people can't remember the last time it happened! And they're not the only ones.

In the last few years, the rules have changed--drastically. It's hardly fair to blame the new owners (the Dolan family) for not being the previous one--Dick Jacobs. After all, Jacobs did just what he'd done all his lifetime--bought low, sold high. Sold extra-high, actually. That doesn't mean that Jacobs should be blamed for having bought the baseball team in the first place--or selling it twelve years later. Had he not bought it when he did in 1987, the Cleveland Indians might well be some other city's team. Even so, it took the Jacobs family several years to get to the high-flying mid-90s, when the playoffs were the standard by which all other accomplishments were measured. Back then, the Browns were a bunch of nobodies, and so were the Cavs. Things are vastly different now--at least for the Cavs.

Terry Pluto uses his extensive knowledge and the openness of the Dolan family, along with Mark Shapiro, to explain the last few years of baseball in Cleveland. Actually, Paul Dolan, president of the team, should almost qualify for co-author status, he appears so often and so openly, explaining the actions of himself and his family. The Dolans appear to be out-going, straight-forward owners, explaining matters to the fans. (Sometimes they explain too much, to be sure.)

Reading this book, you'll feel like part of the team in this plain-speaking look at the inner workings of a Major League baseball team's front office, and how the entire team--front office and the one on the field--combine to make things happen.

Perhaps the Dolans biggest mistake was that, although they had been shrewd businessmen for many years, they approached the purchase of the team as fans rather than owners. For no other reason, perhaps, you have to like these guys. They play with their hearts--with tons of dollars thrown in for good measure. Seems to me they should be given a bit more time to make good on their intentions. After all, the world--and Northeast Ohio--changed drastically in the four years since they overpaid for the team.

There was the aftermath of 9/11, which will continue for a good many more years. The economic scene in Cleveland has gone through major changes in the last four years. Loss of jobs equates to many less dollars available for this not-so-inexpensive-anymore entertainment. Baseball, itself, has experienced the same sort of trauma, with new, long-term very pricey free-agent contracts. (Also, it's not only the Indians who sometimes have to pay another team to take a player they can't support any longer.) Then, too, the very novelty of the shiny new Jacobs Field began to wear off a bit. And don't forget the players. It takes much more time for a player to reach his prime than it does for him to pass on by it. Aging athletes can't always keep up, and it's a wise manager who realizes that fact, while still working around it. Not to mention, it's all too easy to ruin a player who's too young to handle the constant every day stress of competitive sports.

Pluto goes into great detail about how--knowing they weren't baseball strategists--the Dolans wisely found a solid core of young, knowledgeable men with varying skills and put them in charge of the team. General Manager Mark Shapiro (MLB's Executive of the Year for 2005); his assistants: Chris Antonetti, (the wizard of the computer); Neal Huntington, director of player development; scounting director John Mirabelli, and minor league director John Farrell. Between them, they selected Eric Wedge as manager of the team. (Locals complain about Wedge, but his peers have chosen him as one of the coaches for the 2006 All-Star game!) There's a lot to be said for putting someone in charge and letting them have the actual means and power to do their best without fear of the axe falling. That's not to say they can take forever, but it takes time to find the best young prospects and nurture them to major league capability.

Next time you want to complain about the penny-pinching Dolans, stop and think about this for a moment. In 2000, they purchased the Indians for 320 million dollars. The entire team, the front office, the farm teams, the whole magilla. Then, (from page175) "Along with having the three highest payrolls in team history (2000-2002), the Dolans also paid $40 million during all of their ownership in revenue sharing, mostly because of the success of the Jacobs era." Today, even though they've cut back some, they've also greatly increased the scounting program in an effort to re-build the team.

Cleveland is a small market, with three major-league teams. (New York City has more teams, of course, but even with all the dollars spent there, NY teams don't win every game, all the time.) Even though the New York Yankees spend 200 million dollars PER YEAR on their team payroll! Anyone here have that kind of money to spend? Didn't think so. Folks here want the Dolans to sell. Not so easily done. No one says the Dolans want to sell, but just suppose they did. Who'd buy? Until that happens, maybe we ought to cut them some slack, and give the Dolans a chance to finish what they started.