Fund-of-funds Books

the story of maria tambini, the teenage pop star who rises to fame and then nearly dies of anorexia nervosa, is the main plot device, yet it is not the high point. the strength of the book is the depiction of maria's family, italian immigrants in scotland whose lives were traumatized by world war II, when italians in scotland were attacked for their link to the nazis. the family's fish and chip shop is trashed and maria's grandmother, lucia, is taken to a refugee camp. she is reunited with her daughter, sofia, and tries to escape on a ship, but the ship is bombed and she loses her daughter. the loss cripples her for the rest of her life and o'hagan makes the point in a fascinating way, through a suitcase with items from sofia's life that is returned to lucia 30 years later. o'hagan actually lists the items at the end of the chapter on the saga, which is a beautifully sad moment, one of a few in this fantastic book that doesn't let the main story steal the show. it's amazing how all the reviews you read focus only on maria's saga. how can they have missed the best parts of the book?

There is a "note to the reader" prefacing this book which proclaims it it not based on any one person ,a disclaimer that will ring hollow in the ears of British readers above a certain age who will clearly see the similarities between its main protagonist Maria Tambini ,and the late Lena Zavaroni ,whose tragic career so closely prefigures that of Maria -a child star who died of anorexia nervoso at a tragically early age .
It opens in the Jubilee year of 1977 on the Isle of Bute in Scotland .Maria ,a small child of 13 possesses a powerful singing voice ,and she is discovered by a scout for the TV programme Opportunity Knocks (an actual show ,presented by Hughie Green ,who also appears in the novel ,under his own name ).She is taken to London ,taken on by am ambitious agent ,Marion ,and swiftly enrolled at the prestigious Italia Conti stage school(also a real institution ).She wins Opporunity Knocks numerous times and is eventually retired from the show on the ground she is unbeatable .A hit single follows ,along with a round of TV appearances and sea side variety shows ,as well as sell out shows at the London Palladium ,trips to Vegas and a White House performance .Sadly also featuring are bouts os self starvation ,a heavy lazative ingestion and prolonged bouts of hospitalization .
This is pure Zavaroni -even the interview featured in the book ,whwre she appeared on the Wogan chat show is lifted almost verbatim from the actual programme .It is impossible at least for British readers to escape the " roman a clef "elements of the novel .This is not to downplay its merits as imaginative fiction -merely to point out its reliance on actual people .There are plenty of real people namechecked in the book ,from the unctuous Hughie Green whose oleaginous personality is captured faithfully ,to doyens of British comedy such as Les Dawson .Diana ,Princess of Wales -herself a victim of eating disorders -appears as does Nancy Reagan ,saying it is impossible to be too thin .
Aside from the passages devoted to Maria's career the emotional epicentre of the book lies back on Bute with the family from whom Maria sprang and the milieu of the island and the Italian community in particular is evocatively captured .
The narrative proceeds through a variety of voices particularly various family members ,interviews and letters from Maria's childhood friend Kalpana and her stalker Kevin .Especially vivid are the voices of her neurotic mother ,Rosa ,and her uncle Alfredo ,a womanising barber ,not to mention her grandmother Lucia ,although the cumulative impact of so many narrative voices is a detriment and even confusing at times .
The book works as an account of one person's rise to fame and the world in which it takes place ,a world which is changing and becoming more ruthless. If the narrative now and again bogs down -which it does -there are ample compensations namely in the strongly drawn characters like the Italian clan and Maria's protector ,Michael ,and the pathetic celebrity stalker Kevin .
Its a rich and rewarding book full of incidental detail and some fine minor figures ,like Kalpanna's father ,Dr Jaggadanam .
Enjoy it for its insight into the corrosive impact of too early fame and as a study in deracination -the plight of the person who takes flight from a small place to a larger stage only to discover they are at home in neither one .

The ending is upbeat and cautiously optimistic -would that its inspiration were around to read it .

There's a lot to admire in this beguiling and heartfelt story. O'Hagan deftly whisks us away to the picturesque island of Bute and the beautiful sounding town of Rothesay. Growing up in Australia, and being familiar with British television or "telly" as the British like to call it, there was much in this novel that was familiar to me and so much of it bought back memories: the Basil Brush Show, sausage rolls, LWT, and Opportunity Knocks etc. O'Hagan really brings back to life the 70's TV variety shows and the people who starred on them. And there's no doubt that his research of the period is absolutely meticulous.

Personality is so much more than an account of one young girl's rise to fame and fortune as a "Cilla Black" style variety singer. The Italian immigrant experience - which I must confess I knew nothing about - the terrible disease of bulimia and anorexia nervosa, the meaning of family ties, and the culture of celebrity in Britain are all issues that O'Hagan tackles in this work with differing success. The many multiple story lines and secondary character confessions do, at times, clutter and stifle the central chronicle of Maria's rise to stardom and her battle with eating disorders. However, the secondary characters are still beautifully developed: Rosa, Maria's mother, spends her days running the family "fish and chip" ship in Rothesay, supportive of her daughter, but also regretful of what "might have been"; Lucia, the Italian immigrant grandmother who holds terrible family secrets from World War 2; Mrs. Gaskell the work obsessed entertainment agent who drives Maria to the brink of no return, and Michael, Maria's childhood friend who falls in love with Maria and comes to her rescue later in the novel. There are also many other characters equally rich in detail.

O'Hagan is also a wonderfully descriptive writer and he experiments with different styles throughout the novel - he uses newspaper reports, the epistolary form, and various chapter-like monologues to reflect the characters' inner-most thoughts, and to help tell us the story of Maria, her struggles, and her journey to stardom. This works well in some sections and not in others, and sometimes the novel becomes cluttered with too many subplots. There's also a rather unnecessary twist involving a stalker in part three, which seems hurried and tacked on, and at times, particularly in part three, the story meanders too far from the central plot. But this novel is still worth reading and the fact that the author can authentically transport you to Great Britain in the 1970's and present an era in such vivid detail shows tremendous talent and literary creativity. Anyone who grew up watching 70's British variety shows and has an appreciation for them will just love this book!

Michael.

In a run-down resort town on a Scottish island, a family pins its hopes on the youngest daughter, Maria, who is working on her singing and her looks. As an early teen, she is whisked off to London, where she wins a televised talent contest. Three years later, she is a famous pop singer. By twenty, she is anorexic, looney, and is being stalked.

The characters in Personality are astonishingly complex & well described, the plot is not particularly compelling. Still a fine effort by Mr. O'Hagan, and well recommended!

Richard Weaver's famous book title Ideas Have Consequences has almost become a cliché these days, but if there's one book where the idea behind it truly applies, this one might be it. It may seem boringly circular to read a history book about the history books the founding generation read, but in fact this is an interesting and important work of intellectual history. It certainly repays reading for anyone interested in the ideas behind the American revolution.

Colburn presents a strong case that the leaders of the revolution (and the preceding generation) had a common frame of reference and a shared understanding of "the lessons of history." To that extent, it hardly matters that their understanding of the Saxon roots of English liberty has been largely discredited by more recent scholarship, as the author explains in an appendix. *They* believed it was true, and the lessons they took from it shaped their ideas about law and philosophy, as well as history. Indeed, law, philosophy, and history were all very closely interwoven to members of that generation -- far more so than they are to modern minds. It is a rare politician today who has a deep acquaintance with history (apart from sketchy conclusions regarding "the lessons of Vietnam" or "the lessons of Munich," as Jeffery Record ruefully noted in Making War, Thinking History: Munich, Vietnam, and Presidential Uses of Force from Korea to Kosovo), and rarer still one who can tease out of history a coherent philosophy of man's relation to other men and to the State.

This book isn't for everyone. Because it's intellectual history, it can get kind of dry at times. And I found the scope of the book rather narrower than I was expecting -- exploring the "Saxon roots" idea takes up most of Colbourn's time, although he does a fine job showing how different interpreters employed that idea in different ways. But it deserves a place alongside books like Bailyn's The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution on the shelves of anyone seeking those ideas, the consequences of which were the War for Independence. This book was on my to-read list for a very long time, and I'm glad I finally made myself pick it up and read it. It confirmed my suspicion that it's one I should have read a long time ago.

This book is a pure jem. Colbourn presents an elegant treatment of the ideology of the Revolutionaries, with special emphasis on the role and use of history in their thought. Perhaps the most captivating pieces are those focusing specifically on John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. In addition to this, he includes actual listings of books in Colonial stores and libraries. Above all, this is an invaluable study for anyone interested in this subject.

Great book to read in order to understand the thoughts and the fears of the revolutionaries both leading up to the actual revolution and the problems resulting from the new nation. It gives excellent insight into key thinkers and provides a good viewpoint to judge the legitamacy of the American complaints. If you love the thought processes of the intellectuals of the revolution you will enjoy this book.

H. Trevor Colbourn writes that the college-educated colonists received a heavy dose of the Greek and Roman classics. This classical education would make it easy for them to assimilate into their own character the virtues embodied in Cato the Younger. Many of these men, such as Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Patrick Henry, Nathan Hale, and others, would quote from the play in many of their writings and speeches. Colbourn asserts that in the years leading up to the American Revolution, and especially after the Stamp Act crisis in 1765, the play "Cato" served as the epitome of resistance to tyrannical British rule for many colonists.

It is indicative of the Age of Enlightenment, which educated leaders such as America's Founding Fathers, to select their models of heroic virtue from Greco-Roman history instead of from the Bible. Plays, such as Addison's "Cato" social and philosophical message was clear to any Enlightenment audience because it was Roman moral virtues and not Christian morality that Enlightenment audiences most embraced. Cato's self-reliance caused his actions; not his reliance on God. This notion of men acting outside the sphere of religious bonds was an important lesson that was certainly not lost on our Founders, especially since many of them were such devoted disciples to Enlightenment ideals. In fact, one could stipulate that "Cato" is part of a genre of plays that replaced the Christian morality plays that had been so popular for centuries in Europe.

The revolutionary generation immersed themselves in the classics, which enabled them to be on the look out for examples of distant tyrannical rule. The Founding Fathers believed that in order for a new nation to survive as a republic, they would need to remake men in the mold of Cato as portrayed in Addison's play, and as other heroic men found in "Plutarch's Lives." Cato was first and foremost a patriot. He would not have sullied himself by becoming embroiled in party politics. Thus, the Founders learned from his example and understood that they too had to be especially diligent in guarding against men forming political factions and the misuse of political power for their own self-interest. This is why Founders, such as Thomas Jefferson, placed such high hopes for raising a virtuous body of citizens through education, which became one of his motivating factors for founding the University of Virginia. Aside from Addison's flowery prose and powerful imagery on stage, "Cato's" most important and enduring role in the American colonies was its political message; fighting to the death, if necessary, for freedom from tyranny.


I read this book for a graduate Humanities class. Recommended for people interested in literature, history, philosophy, and the founding of America.

Letters of long ago gives a sometimes harshly honest look at frontier life from a woman's perspective. It chronicles the tragedies and triumphs of Emma Thompson Just in the desolate and isolated west. First hand accounts of a woman's life in the frontier are uncommon and this is a book that gives an entertaining and very real look at the simple yet difficult life of a pioneer wife.

Written by the daughter of Emma Just, who is the central figure of this book first published in the early 20's. The book gives a factual account of the very interesting and often difficult life of a pioneer woman in the late 1800's. For anybody who is interested in history, especially from a woman's point of view, this is a fascinating look into what life was really like for those who chose to brave a new and untamed frontier. It chronicles the not so average existence of an incredibly courageous woman across the span of two decades. The "plot" is interesting and well written, giving the reader an honest look at pioneer life from Emma's correspondence to father... through her own letters of long ago.

A very sweet book. The heroine would be thought of as quite a modern women even today, but she lived in the late 1800s. Heartbreaking at times. You'll never forget the decision she made when the Nez Perce were coming-At least, she thought they were!

Letters of long ago gives a sometimes harshly honest look at frontier life from a woman's perspective. It chronicles the tragedies and triumphs of Emma Thompson Just in the desolate and isolated west. First hand accounts of a woman's life in the frontier are uncommon and this is a book that gives an entertaining and very real look at the simple yet difficult life of a pioneer wife.

Following the 2000 and 2004 election fiascos, it has become increasingly pertinent to debate the utility of money, especially those from special-interest groups, in our election process.
In Money and Politics, David Donnelly, Janice Fine and Ellen S. Miller collaborate to explain how reform can make elections more democratic. Donnelly, Director of the Reform Voter Project, Fine, Senior Fellow at the Center for Community Change, and Miller, publisher of Tompaine.com, describe the insidious nature of today's politics where politicians auction themselves to the highest bidder; they also express their support for public financing of elections as a panacea.
There is much to enjoy and like about this book. As a pamphlet of about 100 pages, it is unencumbered with political jargon, instead relying on the simplicity of language to serve its purpose. Seeking to educate, attempting to proffer the best solution to this rampant corruption, the writers allow differing viewpoints from varied contributors including Senator Russell Feingold and Thomas E. Mann. This makes it campaign reform a la carte.

Nevertheless I harbor doubts about the efficacy of their reform. For example when they say, "though Americans accept the legitimacy of economic inequality, they do not generally accept that the rich are entitled to greater political representation," they attempt to deny the obvious: The Founding Fathers never believed in the political equality between the common man and the aristocrat. How else can you explain property owners being the only ones initially allowed to vote?
Even as I agree with Phelps that "rich people have an unfair advantage over the rest of us," I disagree that this is inimical to the system. Since the rich have more to lose, what is wrong with their having a greater stake in the political process?
There is also the legitimate concern of voters wondering why their tax dollars are used to fund candidates they dislike. In a country founded on freedom and choice, is it not detestable that candidates could be financially supported by people who would never vote for them. Moreover this book was written before the revolutionary effects of 527's and Internet campaigning were seen. These new phenomena appear to be leveling the political playing field. These developments are not addressed here, so interested readers will have to look elsewhere.

Like Ackerman, I have to ask: "Do we really want equality at the cost of shutting down debate?". I believe not. Seeking clean politics is expecting what has never been and what will never be.
Still whether you support campaign-finance reform or not, as an introduction to this essential subject, one cannot do much better than Money and Politics.

An excellent little pamphlet summarizing a number of interesting solutions to our current highly flawed campaign system. Not only do Fine, Miller and Donnelly offer a compelling solution that has already proven effective at the state level, they also allow their critics to rebut their arguments in the book, this is rare indeed, and welcome. Rarely do you see a volume so evenly discuss and represent contrary and conflicting viewpoints so well. It is certainly food for thought, and will provide even those opposed to the Fine/Miller/Donnelly solution with interesting reading. Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in contemporary politics, but especially those who feel that money has distorted or destroyed the American system. Highly recommended.

This book is 'required reading' for anyone who gives serious thought to and is deeply concerned by the crisis facing our country in the form of our corrupting system of financing political campaigns. The authors have been 'in the trenches' for some time in the battle to restore sense and balance to our country's political arena. The format in which the authors outline their proposal, then solicit replies from different perspectives, then finally retort and rebuke most other potential solutions, provides the reader with a blueprint for debate. Since there is no longer any meaningful argument in favor of the current political financing system, this book proceeds in the logical direction of focusing the debate on the most likely remedies. Now if only the general public would realize that, until campaign finance reform is a reality, the other great issues of our time cannot be solved. My only reservation regarding the author's work is the lack of specific examples which the more casual reader may need to understand the gravity of the issue. Nonetheless, the book is highly reccomended.

We all know that there is money in politics, but we don't know how to get it out. This book provides an excellent debate on the various options, ranging from full public financing to vouchers to a constitutional amendment to allow limits on campaign contribution levels. In spite of the good arguments made by the debaters, the authors are right on target.

Of the two ways to fund elections, public vs. private money, full public funding presents the most reasonable. Perhaps a more detailed discussion about the incredibly low cost to taxpayers ($10 per year per taxpayer at the federal level, and $5 at the state level), would have better satisfied the debaters. Contrasting that with the $500 to $1500 per year taxpayers are now paying through the hidden-tax system, taxpayer funded elections are a real bargain.

This is a must-read for all campaign reformers, term limiters, anti-taxers and government reducers. Too few Americans realize that by getting private money out of politics, we'll reduce the unnecessary government spending that causes high taxes, reduce the size of government, and eliminate the need for term limits. This book shows how to accomplish this goal.

Jenny is an 11 year old girl who has two mice, Nick and Cody. And she has a "group" with 8 people in it: Liza, Marc, Chloe, Josh, Felicia, Rachel, Carolyn and Marilyn. Her X BFF, Addie has a "group," too, Dana and Claire. They are called the "pops".
I think it is a good book for girls in 6th, 7th and 8th grade, so if you are in middle school it rocks!


You want to find out more? Go to www.middleschoolsurvival.com.

I enjoyed reading this short but good book.
I wish it was longer because I've enjoyed the books in this series so much.
I have bought all of the books in the series and I have read many of them over again. I really wish they were longer though. They only last me a night worth of reading.
I enjoy the books, I think, because i can relate to them. I'm the same age as the main character and when I do the quizzes she does on her computer I will often get the same answer as the girl gets.
You also have to read them in order. Get the first one (I believe it's "CAN YOU GET AN F IN LUNCH?") and then the second and so on, before this one other wise it doesn't make much sense.
It's a pretty good book though!

Jenny McAfee has a ton of best friends but isn't the most popular girl in her school, since she definitely isn't in with the Pops. But she doesn't let that bother her, since this year she beat out Addie, her ex-best friend who just became popular, for President in the 6th grade student council race. But that only made Addie VP.

The first meeting of the 6th, 7th and 8th grades Presidents and Vice Presidents turns interesting when ideas for raising money are thrown around -- and Jenny goes against Addie's idea for another dance, and votes instead for a carnival. Addie, who is so used to being in charge of everything, wants to make Jenny pay for not backing her up, even though they haven't been friends for like forever.

So Addie decides to make a bet with Jenny that whoever has the least popular booth at the carnival has to wear their pajamas to school, the not so pretty ones, and of course Jenny agrees.

Then enters the new girl, Sam, the girl who makes all the Pops in 6th grade look like 5th graders. Jenny and Addie both see this as the perfect opportunity to make their booth better than the other's, but it is up to Sam to decide who she wants to be friends with.

Sweet and funny, this next installment in the HOW I SURVIVED MIDDLE SCHOOL series is one that readers do not want to miss. Who would have guessed that there was so much drama in the 6th grade?

Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen

This book tells the story of how Jenny survives middle school. She made a bet with her best friend turned enemy to raise the most money at their booth in the school fair. The bet gets harder with the arrival of a cool new girl named Sam.Who will Sam side with? Will she side with Jenny and her friends? Or will she decide to join Addie(that`s Jenny ex-best friend)and her friends? You need to read the book to find out. Everything in this book was good.

I've appreciated Successful Fundraising for Arts and Cultural Organizations. There is a lot of literature on Fundraising but not specifically for the arts. I experienced it while I was researching to write my dissertation on fundraising for the opera, when I would have found this book very useful

This is both a great introduction for those who want to learn more about this field, and a wonderful fresh perspective for development professionals and executives in the arts. Lots of practical info for those seeking funding, but also a great overview on the current climate of funding for the arts. It should be required reading for board members of arts organizations.

I am preparing to teach a graduate-level course on fundraising for the arts, and plan to use this as a basic text.

There are thousands of arts and cultural organizations in the USA, including museums and other exhibition spaces, orchestras, dance companies, zoos, choruses, jazz ensembles, theater companies, and botanical gardens. Yet the income earned from sales of tickets, merchandise, and services typically covers only 50 to 60 percent of their operating expenses, according to authors Karen Hopkins and Carolyn Friedman. Hopkins, the executive vice president of the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York, and Friedman, the chief development officer of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, further point out that the budget for the National Endowment for the Arts has of recent been dramatically reduced by Congress. "Fundraising for arts and culture in the United States today is a challenging and increasingly complex process," state the authors at the outset. "Because of the uncertain economic climate, Americans are reexamining their charitable contributions and are tightening their belts in all areas of support for nonprofit institutions, including those dedicated to arts and culture." Clearly, arts and cultural organizations facing the challenges of the next century are in need of new strategies and more effective fund development programs if they are to make up the budgetary shortfall with charitable contributions. Successful Fundraising for Arts and Cultural Organizations provides fund raisers a clear-headed, workable blueprint for better and more effective fund raising. This book presumes little or no prior knowledge of fund raising, and yet is thorough enough to provide even experienced fund raisers an opportunity to reassess their own strategies and beliefs, and test them against those of two very experienced fund raising professionals. Steel sharpens steel. The authors proceed step-by-step, right from the beginning: institution building. "The first step . . . in preparing to raise funds is for management to articulate clearly the artistic or programmatic purpose of the organization," they state. Basic? Very. But a step neglected at the peril of the Organization. And far too many arts and cultural organizations fail to construct the kind of dynamic board called for by Hopkins and Friedman. As expected, the authors cover board leadership, focusing on the board of trustees, especially its composition, structure, and even recruiting of the right members. A central premise: that board members must lead in a fund development campaign. Again, hardly revolutionary. But far too many arts organizations stumble in recruiting the right trustees - with disastrous consequences. Senior staff roles are not neglected, either. The authors describe the roles of such positions as artistic or program director, managing director, marketing director, finance director, and development director. A useful section on volunteers is included, as well. Perhaps most useful is the author's comprehensive and pragmatic treatment of the various modes of fundraising, including the annual fundraising campaign, as well as raising funds from businesses, from foundations, from individuals, and from government. Under the chapter covering the annual fund, for example, the authors guide the development director in determining the goals for a fundraising campaign by considering potential projects, estimating income and expenses for each project, and then selecting the programs to be promoted that have both artistic or cultural merit and financial viability. As they do throughout, the authors provide a useful chart to rate the programs to be promoted. Other charts include an outline of the steps toward accomplishing a long-range goal; board members' spheres of influence; material for a board orientation manual; campaign support plan; campaign status report summary; hypothetical corporate research profile; hypothetical individual research Profile; organizational budget, program budget; sample customer track; telefundraising results report; how to fill out an NEA application form; gift tables (gifts required/prospects needed for either a $2.5 million or a $6 million capital and/or endowment campaign); and glossary of giving opportunities. Importantly, the book places each mode of fund raising against the backdrop of the "big picture" in terms of which methods can be expected, statistically speaking, to raise funds most effectively. As if to underscore the practicality of this book, the authors include 13 appendixes (see table of contents below). Especially interesting is Appendix D, "Web Resources for Non-Profit Fund-Raising," a particularly relevant topic these days. TABLE OF CONTENTS: Chapter 1. Institution Building Chapter 2. Leadership Chapter 3. The Annual Fundraising Campaign Chapter 4. Business Chapter 5. Foundations Chapter 6. Individuals Chapter 7. Government Chapter 8. Special Events Chapter 9. Capital and Endowment Campaigns Appendixes: A. Basic Fundraising Books B. Keeping Up: Magazines, Newsletters, and Newspapers C. Research Resources D. Web Resources for Non-profit Fund-Raising E. State Foundation Directories F. State Arts Councils and Regional Arts Organizations G. State Humanities Councils H. Fundraising and Management Organizations I. Arts and Cultural Service Organizations J. Sponsorship vs. Advertising: Comparing Return K. Fundraising Materials L. Capital Campaign Materials M. Teaching Ideas for Arts Administration Students

Among the vast sea of fundraising titls, Hopkins' work stands out as an especially helpful resource guide for those involved in arts/culture nonprofits -- specialized in topics of arts-related donor management, tax issues, and mission formation, without losing sight of the bigger fundraising picture. Current, thorough, and very much with-the-times. Highly recommended.

Taking Stock, West's second published novel was actually written first by the author though released after the outstanding "Sin And Vengeance". The author just has a knack for keeping you on the edge of your seat during the non-stop action and suspense. This book was a two-sitting book for me, and only because I started one night after 11:00 PM, so I needed to finish it up in the morning.
C.J. develops his characters brilliantly and makes them easily identifiable with and believable, unlike so many characters who seem to need a cape and cowl to do what they do in suspense novels.
I only hope he has another book out soon as I am eagerly waiting for more from this unsung author. Everyone I have leant a copy of either book to has been ecstatic in their reviews.
All I can say is buy it and hold on to your hat.

IT prodigy, Erica Fletcher is so busy hiding from the past she misses what's in front of her. Fearing history will repeat itself, she ignores the promise of romance with Boston Financial Service's Customer Service manager, Gregg Turner, and strives to prove herself to a boss who makes Kenneth Lay look like employer of the year. While trying to outmaneuver both men--and her memories--Erica runs into everything she tried to escape from when she finds herself drawn to the man who refuses to give up on her--and the scapegoat for a brilliant theft.

When Sarah, BFS's new, promotion-hungry auditor unwittingly assists the thief by setting her venomous sights on Erica, Erica and Gregg turn to Sarah's co-worker, Stan, the 70's cop-show buff who longs to fight real crime. Tension builds as Stan seeks to prove his worth by absolving Erica, and then culminates in a frantic fight for survival after the conspirator is exposed. Faced with the ultimate challenge, Erica becomes the assailant to protect the person she loves and discovers surviving in the present means changing her perceptions of the past.

As a person with a short attention span and no patience for a sluggish story, I appreciate the action and suspense that keeps Taking Stock in motion. An appealing love story, strong characters, and picturesque settings make this an enjoyable read. And Mr. West's characteristic short chapters make it an easy read for those with busy lifestyles.

Another engaging story from CJ West.

Taking Stock is a suspenseful novel about high-stakes thievery and fraud. When, $200 million disappears from the electronic accounts of Boston's number one money management firm, Erica Fletcher must unravel the secret behind the missing money. Bogged down with a heavy workload, plagued by mysteriously vanishing research, Erica uncovers evidence that points to her as the culprit - forcing her to prove her innocence and find the robbers before they find her. Fans of author C.J. West's previous novel, "Sin and Vengeance", will be delighted to see the return of hero Charlie Marston in Taking Stock. A fast-paced thriller for the technological age.

Reviewed by AJ Cooper for Reader Views (6/07)

Erica, the computer whiz, has been given the daunting task of developing a new program to allow ease of use for financial advisors in entry and completion of financial transactions. Unbeknownst to Erica, her boss Brad is setting her up for ruin, as well as jail time. Brad is working undercover and with the protection of a man who has great power over him, to steal from the company and his brother-in-law who heads up the entire company. Brad has access to every room and department in the company and is ensuring that he frames Erica for all of the money that is quickly disappearing from the customer's accounts. Meanwhile Greg, the manager of customer services, has what he thinks is a hopeless crush on Erica and would do anything to get her attention and time.

Greg finally wins Erica over and they start a slow but sure romance. Brad has to move fast to get all of the money for his secret partner and get out of the country as quickly as he can. Brad tries to escape his secret partner but realizes his secret partner has a large reach and even greater power than Brad. Brad makes an attempt on Erica's life and things seem even more complicated with Greg when Erica makes a trip to Greg's family farm. It all heats up as Brad attempts to escape and is caught and sent back to get the final payment for his partner. Brad also tries a last-ditch attempt at ensuring Erica is investigated by the company. The security department in the company is torn between Brad and Erica. Sarah, the new security member, is convinced by Brad that Erica has been stealing money from the company. Greg and Erica convince Stan, the long security member, something else is going on and that Erica is being framed. Stan solicits the help of the local police and catch Brad red-handed attempting to shoot what he thinks is Erica.

"Taking Stock" will interest anyone who enjoys a good mystery and a small glimpse into investing. I would recommend this book to any of my friends. I enjoyed trying to figure out the identity of the secret partner and what would happen next. Until the author identified the secret partner I did not have any idea who it was. I like it when I am not able to figure out the entire book prior to the end. I also really enjoyed that the author touched on the characters personal lives. The scenes from the farm allowed me to picture in my mind the layout of the land. It was very interesting at the end of the book for the author to offer an opportunity for two readers to solve the puzzle at the end and be able to meet the author and be a character in a future book.

PLEASE REFER TO THE BASIC "AMAZON" REVIEW IN READING THE FOLLOWING:

TRUST FUND BABIES has a fascinating premise, this premise being that three first cousins who have inherited a significant fortune have had that fortune embezzled by their joint business manager. The novel explores how the loss of a fortune this size impacts each of these three women. In the course of telling her story, author Jean Stone offers some fascinating insights into the way that the very rich live their lives.

Some of this story is set on Martha's Vineyard, and Stone communicates a wonderful sense of place. Though her writing is excellent, and TRUST FUND BABIES is fast-paced, there are many conceptual flaws that ultimately make this book seem pointless, however.

First of all, there's the mystery of the little girl who is abandoned by her family and the eventual explanation of why the abandonment took place. There is the couple who stayed together for no obvious reason, except maybe that they had a child together, and then split up in the weeks immediately preceeding that child's wedding, compromising the social aspects of the event. Too, there is the man who turns out to have married his wife knowing the deep, dark secrets she thought she had concealed, with no reason offered for his over-riding love for her. And, finally, there is the way in which the socialite friends of one of the cousins drop her when word gets out that she has lost her fortune. I find it difficult to imagine an entire clique abandoning someone solely because of a change in net worth.

Also, none of the characters are developed as thoroughly as they deserve to be, though the socialite does come the closest to being a real person. And an "Agnes Gooch" type personal assistant, a la AUNTIE MAME, never grows into the fuller formed personality that author Stone hints that she will come to be.

As interesting as is the premise with which TRUST FUND BABIES starts off, the story itself quickly becomes strained and implausible. This is a pity, because Jean Stone is an excellent writer.

This is an excellent book for anyone looking for a good read and a real page-turner. Jean Stone's writing is excellent, I couldn't put the book down for a minute. Her character details are unmatched and she really "paints the picture" of each character from their personality quirks to the style of shoe they prefer. Her characters are hilariously rich and arrogant and yet pathetic at the same time. The story will keep you constantly guessing and has a great ending!

On Park Avenue in Manhattan, secretary Carla DiRoma separately informs face to face the shocked Atkinson cousins (Mary Beth, Nikki, and Gabrielle) that their investment banker Lester Markham absconded with their trust funds. The trio know that they are broke and used to a golden spoon from having inherited their respective money. Now the cousins needs to find a way to earn money for basic sustenance.

Surprisingly, though somewhat estranged over the years, the threesome come together planning to survive this crisis. With the encouragement of Carla, they also chart a course to find, prosecute, and get their money back from Lester. However, to succeed they must forget that tragic summer years ago that sent them on their separate paths and stay united in their quest to regain what they lost, which they will learn is much more than a mere fortune.

TRUST FUND BABIES is an insightful look at three individuals struggling with a sudden reversal in their lives. The cousins are warm engaging protagonists, but they adapt too easily to their change in fortune (what's a million here - soon the cousins will be talking real money). Carla is a wonderful "mother hen" and friend to the not enough beleaguered Atkinson women. She enables Jean Stone's novel to remain a fascinating tale.

Harriet Klausner

I flipped through this fast paced novel in almost one day! It was so engrossing that I couldn't put it down and just kept on reading, rescheduling appointments and lunch plans around this book! Jean Stone's description of life on the two islands of the Atkinson's (Manhattan AND Martha's Vineyard) is impeccable. The carefully depicted Nikki and Mary Beth and the subtley mysterious Gabrielle capture your imagination and the adorably Molly captures your heart!

Read it!

The American interaction with the Nazi personel at the end of WW II was very uneven. Some Americans did their job. While others treated these most horrible Nazi's with undeserved deference. This book contains individual articles by one or more ofthe co-authors. The information in each article is very important, drawing on the latest declassified (at the time of publication)documents. However, the book is weak at putting the info in context and in drawing conclusions.

Inevitably some reviewers will see this book as repeating things they think they know and most of the time do. We are aware of former nazis working for the CIA, We are aware of the nazis having forged Sterling Pounds. We are aware of the sightings of Bormann in Argentina, we are aware of the searches for Gestapo Mueller: so what's the difference.
The difference is double.
First it's in the proving value of the details.
There are things that we do know by inference about the nazis but the authors of this book have found their proofs in the documents. Readers should realize the unbelieveable amount of work it takes to get through thousand of fragile documents so that one can match a little point in a huge field of knowledge. Naturally these document do not come nicely and timely in the right order for a specific study. The researchers need to have an enormous and thorough knowledge of several subjects to notice the proper value of one document. Having been through this on Walter Schellenberg, this reviewer can only be very respectful on the work reported here ad on its result.
The second difference lays in the honest capacity of writers to reconsider pre-existing writings (sometimes including their own).
Reporting on documents which reconsider what we thought had been well established: that's another feat which this book achieves namely on the Red Orchestra, on the cooperation of some Americans with the nazis, or on the looting.
Admittedly the reader would appreciate less of an American slant for these studies (which succeeds here not to become a bias). History is neither American nor European it aims at remaining factual and global.
Anybody interested in documented important facts about the war of intelligence services will be fascinated. The book covers documents recently declassified on a lot of names which are known but rarely documented.
Furthermore the authors have not been satisfied in just making a name index, they have rebuilt the context for the readers.
A superb work for specialists on a subject where nothing is black nor white, where most agents work for two or three powers, where interrogations are twisted both by the captive and the victor.
This is not a book for beginners looking for true spectacular spy stories, it is a no BS book on the spies war: a war which saved (and sometimes costed) thousands of lives.

This book is a direct result of the 1998 Nazi War Crimes Disclosure Act. Why it took legislation in 1998 to uncover "secret" documents of collusion between the United States and Nazi war criminals is outrageous on its face. Still, that a book like this finally exists is better than no book at all.

It's badly written, and full of long, run-on sentences that practically require decoding to get to the point. That in itself is frustrating. There is a lot of U.S.-apologist logic in attempting to explain why thoughtless, careless, and short-sighted decisions were made to hire Nazi war criminals in the United States that not only defied justice, but put American citizens at ongoing risk -- a point this book never gets around to making. Did Nazis stop being Nazis because they were working for the U.S.? Did their belief system suddenly change because their paychecks did?

The book makes the point that Nazi criminals were deluded by their own self-importance, that the U.S. bought into it, and that their incompetence was purchased with tax-payer dollars and were a waste of time and money.

And what else? What else can the book say (other than what is documented) but that the documents are pretty much useless. Probably why they were released at all. What else don't we know?

What was not reported (besides the fact that, for example, the Gehlen organization refused to report the names of the SS criminals they hired or what they were doing)? Look at all the insidious (and networked) crimes that were taking place in the 1950s and 1960s, and it makes one wonder what the connections were. But there will be no documentation of that; largely because the U.S. does not want to be "embarrassed" in front of other countries it must have credibility with, particularly now. In the interest of National Security, don't you know. For the same reason, other countries with documented information keep that information secret. For shame.

Never again! is the rallying cry whenever the holocaust is mentioned. Perhaps in 1945 not enough was known of the depths of depravity that comprised the holocaust. There certainly wasn't the scholarship that there is today. Still, that is no excuse. Those who refuse to learn from the past, as it is said, are condemned to repeat it. And we cannot, and will not, learn from the past while there is any support for keeping any of it secret.

The holocaust continues, as its supporters and defenders continue to exist, influenced to a great extent by Nazi criminals that were never brought to trial, and who continue to peddle their ideology in this country and others. Now more powerful (and high-tech) than ever, the danger of keeping war crimes a secret should not escape the authors of this book, the people who read it, and the scholars who are impressed enough to go on from there.

This is a Congressional press release that accompanied the publication of this book. I put this here before adding my own remarks because it tells what the book is about in a clear and comprehensive way.

"Historians' Book Reveals Insights on the Holocaust and Significant New Information about the Relationship of War Criminals with Allied Intelligence Services

: The Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial Government Records Interagency Working Group (IWG) will hold a briefing on the release of U.S. Intelligence and the Nazis, a 15-chapter book that discusses hundreds of the millions of documents located, declassified, and released by the CIA, FBI, Army, State Department, and other U.S. agencies under the Nazi War Crimes Disclosure Act. The IWG also will announce the availability of additional records declassified under the Act and open to the public at the National Archives, College Park, Maryland.

U.S. Intelligence and the Nazis demonstrates how the newly declassified documents alter and enhance our understanding of World War II and the beginning of the Cold War. The book reveals new information about Holocaust perpetrators and collaborators and about the role of intelligence services, especially the use of war criminals by U.S. intelligence organizations after the war.

The newly released records include materials from the FBI, CIA, and U.S. Army:

-- Approximately 240,000 pages from the FBI on espionage, foreign counterintelligence, domestic security, and treason. Highlights include files on the FBI's interaction with Nazis who immigrated to the U.S. and files on U.S. corporations that profited from dealings with the Nazis.

-- 419 additional CIA Name and Subject files, bringing the total number opened by the IWG to nearly 800.

-- More than 3,000 pages documenting the U.S. Army's involvement with German spymaster Reinhard Gehlen, whose post-war intelligence organization received U.S. funding to spy on the Soviet Union.

There are other disclosures int he book. The CIA employed and shielded five close aides of Eichmann. J. Edgar Hoover was responsible for direct orders protecting Nazi War Criminals and enabling them to live untouched in America.
More painful and damaging is the revelation in this book that the US authorities knew about the Holocaust earlier than has been previously indicated. And did their best to do nothing about it.
The book as a whole will for many readers raise questions about the way the US is working now, and has worked in the past in many different places with criminals and evildoers of various kinds.
For me the book connects in mind with John Loftus ' book the 'Secret War Against the Jews' which reveals how the State Dept. helped with the spread of Nazi propaganda into Saudi Arabia. And how the anti- American Saudi school system that brought into being Al Quaeda is in part a legacy of that cooperation.
This book brings proofs of US cooperation with those who not only oppose its ideal and fundamental principles but have taken place in great and horrendous crimes.
As a person born and raised in America I feel a deep anger and shame at these revelations. If the best country in the world, the one who has done the most to preserve freedom and protect democracy in two great world wars, if this country engages in such evil practices then what can be expected of the rest of humanity?
Reading this work will not I am afraid bring those who love and take pride in America much joy.

If you are involved with any organization that interacts with clients, The Zen of Fundraising: 89 Timeless Ideas to Strengthen and Develop Your Donor Relationships should be required reading for all your administrators, front-line personnel (they can remind Administration how to not muck up) serious contributors, board members and fundraisers. For start-ups, a little creative adaption can bring its larger messages to your aid. That is, if you want to become more effective and responsive so you can become a larger entity.

A "must read" is not too high praise. Neither is "essential". Get this book. Read it. Memorize large parts of it. It will be handy when you want to quote really wise concepts at parties, with friends and with clients.

Plus, Burnett's brilliant and personal style (reminds me of how Mark Twain might right a letter to a friend) is a joy to behold.

GregRobin.

This book is a snap shot of everything that works in donor relationships - and some good advice about things that don't. It's about building a relationship that really means something to the donor as well as the charity they are donating to. And it's also about being proud to be a fundraiser - stand up and be counted!!

Through a writing style, which stays light right to the last few pages, Ken manages to capture the essence of a lot of jargonese which penetrates the fundraising world. This is a simple book - but not for simple minds. If you like the snap shot style of American quick fixes then this is a great introduction to relationship fundraising and a whole lot more. At the end Ken makes some personal points and a bit of a plea for better customer service - well made and if only half the advice in this little book is put into practice, there would definitely be a shift.

Just try one simple thing which Ken outlines - I would suggest a fundraiser working on their own would really benefit from number 17. Really understand your donors - no amount of consultancy and research by other people can ever replace that one!

If you are new to fundraising, then take advice from number 71 - Be proud to be a fundraiser - and number 76 - `Be respectful of your donors, and show that respect even when they're not present' - and lastly number 78, which gives the ultimate in reading lists for fundraisers, both old and new.

The fact that Ken points us in the direction of best practice from a great variety of sources - big household names from Britain such as the RNLI but also from across the globe. Reading this on the tube was ideal, it is possible to dip in and out and I enjoyed creating my own `fundraising menu'. Recommended is a number 78, 72, 48, 22 and 17. Oh and definitely 87, the outlawing of killer phrases such as `'That won't work' and `There isn't time'. But then again...

Ken Burnett has been a friend since I was given the privilege of introducing him at the PBS Development Conference years ago. He wrote the book on donor relationships --Relationship Fundraising: A Donor Based Approach to the Business of Raising Money and here he's written the book on gift stewardship.

With all due respect to my many other published friends in the fundraising arena, if you have this book, Jim Greenfield's Fundraising Fundamentals: A Guide to Annual Giving for Professionals and Volunteers, and Kay Sprinkel Grace's Beyond Fundraising: New Strategies for Nonprofit Innovation and Investment, 2nd Edition, there's not much more you need to know.

Ken's book is an easy, breeze read--the whole message is delivered in less than 160 pages. But there's a depth of wisdom and experience here that belies the size. A great handbook from a terrific fundraiser.

I was hoping that this book would provide an overview of working smarter, not harder -- for example focus on understanding your own message in order to be more effective. Instead, it is a "to do" list (which the title states)that only the largest and best established organizations would have time/resources/or history to do. I'm a start-up, and for me, I can only hope to get to the point where most of the ideas in this book are useful -- or even possible.

It's good in that the underlying theme is: It's the customer, stupid. But that is something that all good salespeople/strategic marketing know: take care of your own customers first, keep communication channels open, listen more than you talk, find out why they do business with you. etc.

So: my biggest problem is the title: It should be: Maintaing Funding for Charitable Organizations: A checklist for focusing on your donor relationships. If you are in that situation you should probably read this book. But don't look for the zen.