Future Books

Enjoyed this book and its format. Excellent presentation of the Hermetic principles and historical and contemporary insight. None of its concept was new to me but it provided a interesting and ionformative perspective.

This is a most excellent book. The author excels in every way of bringing a vast body of knowledge together in one place, distilling the wisdom of the ancients into a small easy to read book. Thank you so much Mr Chandler for writing this book. May you write many more!

Excellent book, I purchased this book and it lead me to once again pick up the Kybalion. Wayne Chandler is very thorough in his research and what I love most about was it was very detailed and show direct connection with historical facts and the Hermetic Laws, this book certainly made an impact on my life and Mr Chandler excels in every area of his book, he simplified ancient knowledge into a format anyone from the novice to the adepts can understand. this book is simply a must for anyone who desires a change in their outlook and life, I have been touched by the wisdom put forth in this gem of a book. this is one book I will never lend out but will always recommend to everyone I meet.

Kudos to Mr. Chandler on his excellent research and format regarding the ancient Hermetic Laws. Newcomers to the studies of esoteric wisdom will find this book extremely helpful because its extensive research and Mr. Chandler's outstanding writing skills. He definitely has a gift of writing. It's Not Over Yet

I am surprised to see so few reviews here, as this book has had such an influence on my life. I do not know how to begin to adequately express its significance, and perhaps that is appropriate. Those who are ready for the knowledge will be drawn to it in a time and manner which is right for them.

"When the ears of the student are ready to hear, then cometh the lips to fill them with Wisdom." -- The Kybalion

Ancient Future is a "modern" approach to the ancient wisdom of Kemet, which was passed from lips to ear since pre-diluvian days and then more recently (about a hundred years ago), was recorded in a book entitled "Kybalion". Kybalion has been out of print for a long time, but can be found if you diligently seek it.

I learned of this book in reading 'Three Cups of Tea.'I enjoyed that book, but enjoyed this one even more. I found the author's observations of the changes and 'hoax' of development to be thoroughly refreshing. It offers a sobering and realistic assessment of how traditional cultures and values can be and have been undermined by the greed and homogenization brought with 'development.' I recommend this book to anyone who's ever wondered what 'development' means for traditional peoples and cultures.

This book has changed the way I looked at the issues of development, modernisation & morals. An amazing read, beautifully written and with great insights.

I have just returned from a trip to Ladakh and I could really relate to what Ms.Norberg talks about in the book.

Just a couple of side issues. It'd be good to know what exactly went wrong in Ladakh. Here are a people who for 2000 years had lived successfully by the rules of Buddhism. How & why did Buddhism fail these people in the face of global/western economic & cultural imperialism? Does the blame lie with Buddhism- it being too 'compassionate' and allowing a religion? Does the blame lie with the Ladakhis who probably were not as sincere Buddhists as they are made out to be?

After all if they really were such devout Buddhists, how come they fell to the greed that capitalism breeds?

Anyway, these are issues which could have been addressed in the book. Regardless, the book is excellent! A must read.

Rarely have I felt more dispair about the direction of what we know as civilization as I felt halfway through this book. The Ladakh people are described as happy, healthy, and self-reliant. Suddenly, the "real world" happens to them, and they come to see themselves as poor, when before they had no need of money.

The authors do a nice job of weaving a story of hope at the end but I have concern for the future of these people. It helps me understand the decision the government of Bhutan has made to isolate themselves from western-style civilization.

After reading this book, I suddenly realized the root problem of Western Civilization: We have no culture. Where there was once culture, we now have an expanding economic order threatening all life on the planet. Through its mechanism of growth and expansion, the global economy is conquering and converting life's diversity into an ecological and social monoculture of cash crops, Levis, soda pop and movie theatres. Perhaps moonscape would be a better word. Of course, it doesn't have to be this way. Our fast-paced, increasingly technological, capital-intensive, fossil fuel-centered, centralized, highly specialized, travel and commercial-oriented, often stressful society is by no means the end-all-be-all of human history. Murder, child abuse, drug abuse, theft, poverty, hunger, and every other problem that plagues the West are not products of human nature. The pathology of civilization is not natural or inevitable, and the Ladakhi are proof of this. Read this book and rediscover ancient, profound, life-affirmating alternatives to the modern humdrum. Discover another way of living, thinking and feeling. Important, necessary, engaging and masterfully written - this book was a treasure to read. Indeed, it was an awaking.

A MUST READ

The first half of *Ancient Futures* will delight and amaze you; the second half will break your heart.

In the 1970s, the Ladakhis of Little Tibet were a happy people. They had a sustainable traditional economy based on trade and cooperation - not money. One person's gain was not another person's loss. There was plenty of leisure, no hunger or poverty, very little sickness or disease, everyone was valued, there was no pollution and nothing was wasted. They got along fine with their Muslim neighbors and they kept their population stable through marriage customs based on land use. Almost every family had a celibate monk or nun. Buddhist monasteries and people had a mutually beneficial economic, social and spiritual relationship. Ladakhis are a naturally contemplative people with a great deal of spiritual awareness. "Schon chan" (one who angers easily) is about the only insult in the Ladakhi lnaguage. "Lack of pride is a virtue, for pride, born of ego, has nothing to do with self-respect among these Buddhist people." The author says that it took her two years of living among them to realize that the people were genuinely and joyfully HAPPY. Then the world beat a path to their door and all that changed - in fewer than two decades.

It's like a little piece of cultural time-lapse photography. What took western culture more than four centuries to do to the Native-Americans took only twenty years here. Ladakh has become a cautionary tale and a monument to western greed and stupidity.

Now there is poverty and unemployment, stress-related disease, women are devalued, the people are ashamed of their "backward" culture, there is little leisure but a great deal of pollution and waste as well as dispute between Muslims and Buddhists and the population had increased markedly. ("Interestingly, a number of Ladakhis have linked the rise of birth rates to the advent of modern democracy. "Power is a question of votes" is a current slogan, meaning that, in the modern sector, the larger your group, the greater your access to power. Competition for jobs and political representation within the new centralized structures is increasingly dividing Ladakhis.")

Chiildren are trained to become specialists in a technological rather than an ecological society. They no longer have time to learn the superb survival techniques of their families. Western culture is creating artificial scarsity and inducing competition.

Now I understand the mechanism better. A culture that has a heavily subsidized infrastructure invades a traditional self-sustaining culture and creates artificial "needs." So they go to the city to earn money which they never needed before, leaving their farms and women, who are immediately devalued because they're not wage earners. The people are no longer planting, irrigating, spinning wool, gathering seeds, harvesting, playing music and singing and telling stories, having seasonal parties, marriage parties or funeral watches - together.

Time has become a commodity. It has become uneconomical to grow one's own food, make one's own clothes and build one's own house. You have to pay your neighbors for the work that the whole community used to do for free.

The men are in the cities earning money and the women are producing tourist commodities with the wool they used to spin for their own use and the food they used to grow for their own families. Now they grow cash crops for strangers so they can make enough money to buy polyester clothes and walkmans and jeans for their kids and food grown hundreds of miles away and fuel trucked in from afar.

The Yak and the Dzo, uniquely suited for high altitudes of Ladakh gave rich milk but not as much as western cattle. So what did the conquering culture do? They imported cattle that can't make it at such altitudes, so more land has to be relegated to planting crops to feed the cattle, thereby upsetting the balance. And they call this progress.

Why can't we just leave people alone - especially when they're doing FINE without us?

"When one-third of the world's population consumes two-thirds of the world's resources," says Norberg-Hodge, "and then in effect turns around and tells the others to do as they do, it is little short of a hoax. Development is all too often a euphemism for exploitation, a new colonialism."

All this would be a dismal tragedy comparable to Columbus's complete genocide of the Tainos if not for a "counter development" movement generated in part by this author. Since the Ladakhis can't go back, they can at least go forward. Instead of importing expensive fossil fuels (previously they had used yak dung and kept warm) they can have solar houses and greenhouses, which have worked very well and given them one benefit that they have previously not had. That's something. Information is another plus. The people are being made aware that westerners pay more for whole grains, organic vegetables, pure water, natural fibers, and natural building materials - things these people have had for a thousand years without money. This is something so-called third-world people are generally not told about.

Once in a while a book comes along that changes one's perspective forever. *Ancient Futures* is such a book. I haven't been the same since.

One of the reviewers on this site said he ended up buy copies for his friends. So have I. This book is a must-read for every person who is concerned about the preservation of our planet and our species.

pamhan99@aol.com

Please join People Against Childhood Cancer (PAC2). We also have a petition to create awareness of childhood cancers.

Here is the link to our group site and petition....


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Thank you.

I think this is a great book, now we just need a book on finances and how to plan for lifes events like college, buying a home, and retirement planning.

This book is what every survivor, their parent(s) and thier doctor needs! It is comprehensive and well laid out...I love how I can easily find information on areas of concern I have regarding my son's survival. It has come in handy during follow up appointments to ensure my son is receiving the proper long term care. There is a compact card in the back of the book where all information about the child's treatment can be recorded so the child will have easy to access, concise information regarding their surgeries, chemotherapy drugs, radiation amount and type, etc. I know this will be an indispensible tool for my son as he grows up. I applaud the authors for writing a much-needed book. This book is a MUST-HAVE for EVERY childhood cancer survivor!

Once again Nancy Keene provides information for patients and families that is just not available in this detail anywhere else. Her disease specific description of late effects and life after chemotherapy enables the reader to receive benefits that will effect for the rest of their lives. Information such as monitoring potential life threatening effects from treatment are just invaluable for the future of children surviving cancer and continuing into adulthood. I would urge any patient/parent/family member coming off active chemotherapy to pick up this book. Trust me you will have many, many book-marked pages. Our child just concluded his treatment and this book has not been very far from my side.

I am an 18 year survivor of Osteoganic Sarcoma and I found this book to be one of the best and informative books I've ever read. I read things that I didn't even know about my disease or the long term late effects due to the chemotherapy I received. I will admit, at times it was TOO much information, but it was all factual and there were things that I read that I had to come to term with. I have an appointment at a Late Effects Clinic in a few weeks, and I am eager to get on with the rest of my life. A big Thank You to the authors who took so much time doing research and putting their own blood, sweat and tears into such an awesome project!!! Sincerely, Diane Trautman Smith

and How it Ended up Creating the World as We Know It_ could have been another title of this superb book that is written with cogency, urgency, and a real desire to get across the reader what the author has to say. The synopsis of the story is as another reveiwer has already described below: namely that the kick-off of modernity with Descartes' "I think therefore I am" was not something that popped out of the blue of his profound brain but a working hypothesis in search of a foundation of certainty---to be applied to theology promarily so as to end the sort of savagery that was devastating Europe in the name of religion during his lifetime (the 30 Years War).

Toulmin contextualizes Newton's discovery and Hobbes' political philosophy (briefly but enough to make the connection) in the light of this quest for certainty that held so many of the best minds in Europe spellbound for all these years. With a pace that won't let up, Toulmin takes you on a tour of Europe's social and intellectual transformation: going from poverty and social schism and a sense of doom in 1610 to a confident, unquestionable, and unquestioned, established cosmopolitical paradigm of order that was foisted onto social and political (thus also art) agendas.

So far so good but it sounds like something you've heard before doesn''t it? That's when this book takes off:
Toulmin digs at the 'subtexts' of these common-knowledge events to show you some very interesting presuppositions (seemingly innocuous at first) inherent in these great scientific discoveries that could not but lead to the institutionalization of racism, sexism, and nationalisms that had such traumatic consequences in the 20th century, with continuing severe after-shocks today.

Looking back, we might smugly click our tongues at the insanity that gripped post-Montaigne Europe, and wonder what the fuss was all about. But Toulmin makes his thesis pressingly relevant to us today by drawing parallels with events and situations that are still with us today.

The author rounds out his argument by giving a brief but clear accounting of the major players (French and German) today who are redefining the concept of modernity from mutually opposite ends.

Toumin's assessment of the legacy of modernity--however it may have got started--is one of of hope and optimism as he reminds the reader that in making the distinction between 'power' and 'force' (Hobbes) there is also this thing called ' moral influence' which, he hopes, will serve as the engine of renewal and humanization of 'modernity' in all its possibilities.

Maybe this is not the best or the most comprehensive account of the origin of post-modernism and/or its tendencies, but the book does give you about a 120 degree panorama--through a powerful telescope. Isn't that enough in a book?

The book is a inspiring discussion on modernity and basic aspects of our view of world. It's an essential book in time of the pos-modernity challenge.

Wow! Toulmin takes the reader on an exhaustive tour of the modernist program, tracing the roots of modern thought way, way back to the 16th century...and before. He makes a compelling case, with some interesting side trips, that modern thought grew out of the religious wars of the early 1600s and the desire for non-sectarian certainty that those wars created. If that doesn't make sense, you should read this book. Fascinating history, and a broad sweep of science and philosophy make this book quite readable, though neither short nor easy. Still, it goes a long way toward explaining why the ground seemed to shift under our feet around 1960. It was an earthquake that was as inevitable as it was overdue. I highly recommend this book to any serious student of culture.

This book is very useful for anyone who tries to understand the phenomenon of modernity, it origin, and its weaknesses.

Cosmopolis brings it all together! Dreary and disconnected readings of Aquinas, Montaigne and Descartes take on new significance with Toulmin's "revised account" of Modernism. By contextualizing prominent figures, Toulmin provides the novice reader with the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the philosophical contribution to the historical idiom. His witty, often humorous discourse is essentially readable and familiar. Philosophy can be tedious and intimidating, Toulmin proves it both fundamental and accessible.

The purchase of the book was easy and its delivery was prompt, even with the Amazon offer of free but relatively delayed delivery.

This is the second book of John Ehlers, a well-established pioneer in cycles and trend analysis for the technical analysis of stock price behavior. It is for advanced analysis, and it is a sequel to his classic book of "Rocket Science for Traders". You do need a math aptitude and some programming experience to get the maximum benefit of both books. John also offers eratta and corrections for minor typos in the formulas as well at his Mesa website.

Those who find this book of interest might also check on John Bollinger's classic book "Bollinger on Bollinger Bands", Steve Achelis' book on "Technical Analysis from A to Z", Steve Nison's book on "Japanese Candlestick Charting Techniques", and Martin Pring's "Technical Analysis Explained", Paul Murphy's "Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets", and "Technical Analysis of Stock Trends" by Edwards and MaGee. This is not a complete list, but a good start.

Remember that no single book offers the Holy Grail of investment. Stay objective to balancing your background, because investing mistakes can be the most expensive education you will ever have.

This is a book clear and very easy to read, for me as physics research, and to my development is very useful.
Strongly recommended.

The computerization and digital signal processing development let improve classical indicators essentially due to application of modern methods of information processing to prices. Indicators began to smooth better and to delay less. However . First, the prices are non stationary, i.e. the characteristics of filters are varied during the time. Second, as different from technical problems, the kind of a signal and noise distributions for the price are unknown, i.e. nobody know what to filter actually. Third, being filtered by means of Fourier and similar methods prices change the previous values to the addition of the new data: we receive ideal trends under a history data but we can only trade them from right hand to left hand.

Fourier transformation is based on representation of initial series by the infinite sum of sinusoids with a various phase, amplitude and frequency. Recently wavelet transformations was widely adopted in various areas of data processing in which initial series are represented as the sum of some locally defined functions named wavelets. They are constructed by shifting and vertical and horizontal scaling of certain the prototype function. Wavelet transformation, in essence, is fractal that allows the effective using it in the technical analysis. First, it allows to carry out the multiscale analysis of prices, objectively identify trends on various scales by duration and amplitude, separate traders to various groups: scalpers, day traders, swing traders, position traders and long-term investors. The multiscale analysis can be interpreted as the analysis on various time frames. Second, it allows determine noise as the insufficient for reception of the profit amplitude and frequency movement of the prices that effectively allows filter the price series simply subtracting the lowest scale wavelets from it. Third, the additional filtration of white noise without delay is possible. Fourth, long-term trends are defined objectively. Fifth, wavelets do not contain optimized parameters in construct to standard indicators. Sixth, the used wavelets type is adapted to deal with the time ordered data and does not distorted on the last price values. Seventh, the used wavelet transformation is very effective computationally that allows use it in real time for the large massives of tick data. Eighth, it is effective to use wavelets as input data for neural networks and other methods of forecasting and recognition.

John Ehlers newest title is sure to make even the brightest of brain surgeons quiver for fear of closing the renal artery prior to completing the operation. Other reviewers may diss this author but his latest book truly reaches for the stars and makes it. The chapters while short, are to the point and exquisitely illustrate the concept being taught. If you are new to trading systems the shortness of the explanations may be too short but for experienced traders and developers of trading systems they are long enough.

Aspects of many indicators are reviewed with fresh insight added for several new systems not talked about in print before. Removing the lag is the traders dream. Many of the indicators shown do work although errata in the code does spoil some of the implementations given. Ehlers has provided for the keener updates on his website that corrects the mistakes, kudos here for doing the right thing.

Overall Ehlers has done it again and this book should be a staple in any traders library. As for the wannabees wanting all the answers and sure fire methods, choose brain surgery as your career option. No one said trading would be easy but Ehlers has given more toolsets that a successful trader can use in a concise to the point book.

I have been trading for nearly 10 years now and have spent countless amount of time and money on books, systems, software and must say this the best book I have come across. With little creativity one can easy adopt ideas from this book to come up with a profitable mechanical system.

Dancing the Body of Light has been an inspiration for my personal yoga practice in the last two years. The photos of the asanas are beautiful and the instructions are very clear. Dona Holleman is able to convey how we can go beyond our physical body and find the light and joy which comes from tapping into the energy body. This book is an inspiration for all practitioners of yoga.

Dancing the Body of Light was the number one best seller at the fifth annual Yoga Journal Convention held at Estes Park, Colorado October 2000. This book is being received as a thorough, in depth yet easy to read manual on Yoga. Dona Holleman being present at this meeting is considered the teacher of many of the teachers who taught at the Convention. In her 40 years of Yoga experience she developed her own very unique way of practicing/ teaching Yoga. She is a master in her field. Dancing the Body of Light contains her wonderful insights and experience. As one of her students being present at the Convention I would say 'buy this unique book'and be inspired by it like myself and dance the Dance of the Body of Light in YOUR practice!

This is my favorite yoga book with respect to detailed descriptions of how to perform the asanas correctly. For some people, there may be even too much detail. However, where there is a possiblity of injury or not getting the full benefit from a posture, I would hope most people would prefer to err in the direction of too much information rather than not enough. In other words, this book does not have superficial descriptions. In my opinion, this makes it a must own for every yoga practitioner particularly beginners who may be more prone to injury and overdoing things.

This book also contains information on yoga philosophy, the bandhas and kriyas as well as a chapter on pranayama. These chapters are short, provide useful context and good reference material. However, it would be best to study some of these other areas along with a teacher and additional reference material.

Another good introductory yoga book is Judith Lasater's 30 Essential Yoga Poses. This is written more simply, holds the number of poses to 30 and provides a number of useful practice sequences. I don't find it describes the correct way to perform the asanas as well as this book, but it's well done and also includes good notes on fine points for yoga teachers.

If you are serious about your yoga practice, then I don't know of a better book that describes how to perform the asanas correctly. If you are easily overwhelmed by detail, then I would probably try Judith Lasater's book above and get this one when you are more advanced.

Back Care Basics is also a nice introduction to yoga written by a physician for people with back problems. While this is the target audience, it also a good general introduction to Iyengar yoga.

Dancing the Body of Light has been an inspiration for my personal yoga practice in the last two years. The photos of the asanas are beautiful and the instructions are very clear. Dona Holleman is able to convey how we can go beyond our physical body and find the light and joy which comes from tapping into the energy body. This book is an inspiration for all practitioners of yoga.

Ms.Holleman has written a wonderful, comprehensive book for yoga practitioners everywhere. She goes into great detail. The words she uses are inspired, and derive from her deep and long practice. She also demonstrates beautiful postures which illustrate what advanced practitioners do.

Very easy to understand. IMO, it is the only book that is at par with, if not better than, John C. Hull's "Options, Futures And Other Derivatives."

Strongly recommended for everyone with even an oblique interest in the study of derivatives.

If Shreve and Karatzas is/are too dense, read this instead.

With all due respect, this book should inspire the Broadies and Dermans of the world to write such textbooks themselves, and the Sundaresans and Glassermans of the world to (also) cater to less scholarly minds (such as the undersigned).

-Kunal Kunde

I got this book few months back, though little pricy but someone recommended it. I found it to be a wonderful blend of the economics and mathematics of derivatives pricing. After reading the book, i was comfortable with :
understanding of derivatives pricing models &
derivatives markets

I strongly recommend people giving their FRM, CFA and / or SOA certifications to get their hands on this book.

You would like it. A good reference book. Only issue is it is little too heavy, hence you cannot lie down and read it for a long time ;-)

As an MBA student at Kellogg School, I find this book is concise and easy to read. It also teaches me the intuition in derivatives and asset pricing. As it has both basic and advanced material, it can be used as a reference book as well.

As financial instruments become ever more complex, McDonald's book gives a systematic treatment of the most common forms of derivatives. Providing a unified etymology that can help you understand how they work.

He groups options (puts and calls) with forward contracts like zero coupon bonds. Through numerous simple payoff graphs, as well as explanatory accompanying text, the ideas are easily grasped. The book starts with these ideas in its early chapters. Then it builds on them, to illustrate associated and often more elaborate constructs, as in insurance strategies for hedging.

Nor is the discussion confined to minimising one's risk. There is an alternative method, of deliberately speculating on volatility, for example.

The modelling of futures and options pricing is dealt with in detail. Including the seminal Black-Scholes formula and related analysis. The assumptions behind Black-Scholes are examined in detail, given the crucial influence of this on many types of pricing. The treatment gets rather advanced, invoking ideas like Monte Carlo simulations of stock prices.

The text is well suited for a graduate program in finance.

I was recommended this text book by the study material I was using to prepare the acturial exam FM. Then I came to check this book here and I found out that the price here is way too much higher. With this price, you can buy both the text book and its solution mannual in Actex Mad River with free UPS shipping. Hope this will help.

This is a very well-documented guide for any service firm. It's also very well written, very insightful and very well researched. It's real deep, complete and full of advice and wisdom from several great minds. I run a corporate reputation consulting firm in El Salvador and this is the most advice-rich book I've encountered in the last five years. I also recommend "the trusted advisor" by David Maister and specially "Managing the Profesional Service Firm" also by Maister.

After reading this book, you'll need to place it alongside your desktop dictionary, Thesaruas and Ron's first book "The Professional's Guide to Value Pricing. This is how strong of an impact their message has made on me.

After reading the first two editions of Ron's book, I didn't think he would be able to improve much on the message of switching to Value Pricing. Boy, was I wrong! He and Paul Dunn have done an amazing job of getting the reader to think differently. As with the radical theme of trashing the timesheet in "The Professional's Guide to Value Pricing", they do a masterful job of convincing you why the old "Revenue Equation" must be replaced with the forward-thinking "Profit Equation". They go on to introduce other new topics not found amongst professional services firms such as developing your Intellectual, Structural and Social Capital, emphasizing effectiveness over efficiency and of course Value Pricing. As is typical of Ron's writing style, and complemented by Paul, their reasoning for making this paradigm shift is well supported and well reasoned.

I've been using practicing Value Pricing for about 5 1/2 years now and I can tell you that it works. In my own firm, I've slowly begun implementing some of their new concepts but with a new perception. I'm convinced these principles will work for me and they can for you as well.

After reading this book, you'll definitely want to keep it handy as a useful reference guide!

Ron Baker is doing for the professional services firms what Columbus and Pythagoras did for the "Earth is Flat" proponents! "Paradigm-shifting" has become so over-used in our culture, but it is not mere hyperbole when describing this book. The work is quite thorough, implementing excerpts, quotes, and philosophies from dozens of well-respected scholars, economists, and management consultants. The work reminds me a lot of Tom Peters' seminal book, "In Search of Excellence" in the way in which the author sprinkles in so many great examples from other successful organizations and industries. In addition, he has many real-world examples (from firms around the world) of professional services firms that have successfully tranformed their practices. I whole-heartedly recommend this book to any professional who is trying to transform a professional services organization or who is wondering if there might be a more effective and profitable way to run a professional services firm.

I first read this book about 2 years ago. I keep it within arm's reach of my desk and refer to it often, still.

I've read one reviewer who stated that this book was the modern almanac of best business practices. I agree completely.

I run my own small law firm. We have implemented many of this book's practices with great success and profitablilty. Primary among them is fixed fee agreements. Yes, we are a law firm that has trashed its time sheets, due in large part to the inspiration and impetus of this book. And, we will never go back.

An earlier reviewer suggested that this book would be more useful for CPA's and not for lawyers. I disagree. Though I'm certain the message of this book is critical for CPA's, I think that any person in law firm leadership must read this book. I think it is particularly suited to small firms and solos who will have the ability to immediately take action in implementing these ideas and making them a reality in their practice.

However, if you are one of my competitors forget everything I said above and do not touch this book. My firm and my family will thank you.

The Firm of The Future coordinates both the theory and practical application of pricing concepts AND business service models in such a complelling manner that Baker & Dunn give Professional services organizations permission to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

While the Firm of The Future is geared to the legal and accounting professions the message and vision is applicable to Advertising agencies, Consulting Organizations, Marketing service firms and professional service providers of all shapes and sizes.

Cost plus pricing is short sighted and intellectually flawed.The intense pressure on increasing billable hours and driving down costs is destroying the creativity and core capabilities of Professional Service companies.Baker&Dunn explain the flaws of cost plus and hourly schemes and identify a road map which outlines how to move a professional services organization and it's customers to a healthier, happier, more productive and more mutually profitable business process

A great read---Inspirational and practical


Tom Finneran
Executive Vice President
American Association of Advertising Agencies

The purpose of this book is to alert business leaders to strategies that they should be implementing to achieve competitive advantage. As is pointed out in the introduction, the strategies are not brand new. They've been kicked around for a while, and most have been road tested. According to the author, "their sources of advantage are not only clear but undeniable."

The five strategies are: Supply Chain Gymnastics, Side Stepping Economies of Scale, Dynamic Pricing, Embracing Complexity, and Infinite Bandwidth.

Embracing complexity is one that interested this reviewer most. The author positions this strategy as a departure from the "keep it simple" mantra espoused by so many. Keeping it simple, he argues, involves taking things away and thus removing complexity. Trouble is many clients demand complexity (e.g. more choices, more customization).

Stalk's views don't seem to completely contradict the "keep it simple" doctrine. There are different levels of simplification. For example, you may offer 1,000 different kinds of shoes for sale (i.e. complexity), but build a front-end web application that's easy to use and that guides the customer through the process of choosing a perfect pair in seconds, and you've hit the jackpot. You've taken advantage of technology to successfully managed (embrace) the complexity and simplify the user experience.

The book is an interesting read. It's also very short which is nice. All 5 strategies could benefit companies depending on their circumstances. Some are already reaping the rewards.

-- Nick McCormick, Author, Lead Well and Prosper: 15 Successful Strategies for Becoming a Good Manager

This is a slender but useful little book. Early in it, George Stalk notes accurately that all too often, the media announce the next big thing long after cutting-edge companies have learned about the change, dealt with it and moved on to the next innovation. High-profile stories trail real change, rather than reporting it as it happens. If you're trying to plan for change by following the mass media, you're going to be left behind. This leaves Stalk with a difficult challenge: to address key changes that are emerging just now. The result is a bit uneven; the text is speculative at times, and his desire to write a brief treatment means that he skims some areas. But that said, this is a more specific and applicable treatment of the future than most books present, and getAbstract recommends it to anyone planning realistically for change.

George Stalk hits a home run with this little volume entitled "5 Future Strategies You Need Right Now". Stalk's approach, with John Butman's able support, gets to the heart of the matter immediately. Each chapter begins with a compelling challenge, setting an immediate tension. All examples are real and relatable. Stalk doesn't give easy formulaic answers. Instead, my creative imagination and strategic mind were instantly engaged. His approach is invitational and his tone is intimate. It felt like he was a trusted advisor and we were having a viirtual dialogue. He's passionate about his ideas and often playfully irreverant. The chapter on "Infinite Bandwidth" alone is "worth the price of admission".
I like this HBP series. The concept and formats are user friendly. Each book really does feel more like a memo. The ideas are timely. The brevity makes it easier to refer to and recommend. Stalk's book is staying on my desk, not on my bookshelves.

It is exactly what it is supposed to be: a memo to the CEO.
This means it does the job you want, meaning get some new ideas for the future of your business.

I must say that at the beginning of my read, I was not that impressed with it. It gets improved as one reads, and especially after the third strategy of running your business better.

You will not get tired with it, you will read it in a few hours and I think you will feel happy you have purchased it.

This is one of the titles in the "Memo to the CEO" series published by Harvard Business Press, each less than 200 pages in length and superbly produced. In fact, none is a "memo" or written solely for a CEO. In this volume, George Stalk explains how to become alert to "faint signals" of what could prove to be early indicators of possible opportunities to gain competitive advantages. Once those opportunities have been verified (Stalk suggests how to do that), appropriate strategies to exploit them will be needed. He focuses on five examples of strategies whose "sources of advantage are not only abundantly clear, but undeniable": supply-chain gymnastics (i.e. adroitly managing a global supply chain), sidestepping economics of scale (i.e. a "disposability" business model), embracing complexity (i.e. four ways to attract customers who are looking for a higher level of complexity), and infinite bandwidth (i.e. effortless receipt of any amount of information whenever and wherever desired and at no cost).

Stalk offers "a high-level introduction to each of these emerging issues, along with suggestions for how to turn them into competitive advantage." He devotes a separate chapter to each of the five categories, then in the final chapter shifts his attention to examples of potential strategies that are "no more than faint signals today," identifies two emerging strategies on his "Watch List" awaiting further evidence of their potential to create competitive advantage, and then briefly discusses various "hallucinations" for which there are currently no corporate examples but are "worth pondering" nonetheless.

But Stalk doesn't limit the narrative to what he has observed and tracked. He reassures his reader that other faint signals "are likely to be found in the world around you," in the reader's own competitive environment as well as beyond it to other industries and competitors to spot insights of others "who may have found a new way of operating and competing that can be transplanted into [her or his] industry to the great confusion of others...and then `plagiarize' the idea." Or when coming across an anomaly, to "understand its implications and use the insight to drive the business to new levels of performance."

Comment: Over the years, I have worked with the owner/CEOs of countless small companies and have urged each of them to form an unofficial "advisory board" consisting of their banker, attorney, accountant, insurance agent, and at least one C-level executive of a large corporation if at all possible. I suggest that they meet as a group at least quarterly, perhaps for breakfast or lunch. After a brief update, the owner/CEO identifies one (and only one) especially important issue his or her company now faces and then chairs a brainstorm session in which advisory board members participate. Invariably, comments and suggestions from a wide variety of perspectives help the owner/CEO gain a better understanding of the issue and then to address it effectively. Having now read Stahl's latest book, I think providing a copy of it to each advisory board member would be a good idea.

While reading Stalk's comments about aggressive but principled competition, I recalled Hardball: Are You Playing to Play or Playing to Win? that Stalk co-authored with Rob Lachenauer. The focus of that book is on winners in business who "use every legitimate resource and strategy available to them to gain advantage over their competitors...[and by doing so] attract more customers, gain market share, boost profits, reward their employees, and weaken their competitors' positions." Hardballers are wholly committed to winning "the game" and do so, key point, by always playing by its "rules." Their goal is always decisive victory so as to sustain dominance. With regard to social responsibility, it is noteworthy that Stalk and Lachenauer quote Milton Friedman's observation that there is "one and only one" in business: "...to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game, which is to say, engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud."

Stalk has prepared those who read his brilliant book to be alert for "faint signals" of other anomalies, unmet consumer needs, nascent trends, etc. that they can add to their own "watch list" until their potential for competitive advantage have been evaluated. At least a few candidates for future strategies will emerge from this rigorous process, separated from other provocative but ephemeral issues that Stalk calls "hallucinations." Of course, meanwhile, it would also be beneficial if those within an organization who possess especially inquiring minds were to get together on a regular basis and discuss what I call "What ifs..., "Why nots...," and "Have you ever thought abouts..." as well as other discussion primers such as "Why hasn't someone invented...," "What really upsets me is....,"and "I really wish I had..." or better yet "I'd give anything for...."Mental calisthenics (isometrics?) such as these eventually led to the development of a built-in handle for containers of liquid detergent and a built-in funnel for containers of motor oil; also locating the striking area of a book of matches to the reverse side, making postage stamps adhesive, Post-its, ATMs, frequent flyer mileage programs, and ergonomic kitchenware.

Those who share my high regard for Stalk's insights and eloquence in this book are urged to check out his other works, notably Competing Against Time: How Time-Based Competition Is Reshaping Global Markets co-authored with Thomas Hout and the aforementioned Hardball as well as his various articles that appeared Harvard Business Review. Most can be purchased online and easily be downloaded.

When I started reading this book I was disappointed. The background chapters that attempt to teach Technical Analysis for example are covered somewhat better in other books (see John Murphy).

But the treasure of this awesome book is in the examples and stories in the later chapters. I wish I had read this book a couple of years ago. From a number of books that I have read, it talks quite a bit about short selling and risk. In my opinion .. it is a five star book ..

I have been an investment professional for over 20 years. I have read dozens of books--most long before the flood of "you to can be a super trader" trash of the 1990s. This is the best one. Mamis is an original and independent thinker. The book deals with psychology, tactics, technical indicators. His "How to Buy" is not nearly as good.

If you invest, wish you had a mentor on the trading floor, but don't know anyone who works on the exchange, you should read this book. Mamis discusses not only market indicators so you can better time buys and sells, but explains what happens on the trading floor and how the professionals -- the "they" many investors refer to grudgingly -- benefit from herd psychology. After reading this you will better understand why the "average investor" is more likely to lose than win, and why many people, in fact, subconsciously prefer to lose. Mamis has an easy style which reflects his many years of investing experience -- it is not a dry, academic discusson of the market.

Along with "Reminiscences of a Stock Operator" and a couple of others, this is one of the best and most informative books I've read about the market.

That's the big question. Sell too soon to lock in a small profit and you watch the market go on in your direction without you. That hurts because if you only waited you could have that bigger profit. Or maybe the market turns and you look like a genius?

Sell too soon and you end up with a small loss that prevents you from a much bigger loss. Or does the market turn and your small loss would have turned into a big winner?

This book goes into detail about when you should sell and when you should sell short. I have read many books on trading and this one covers those points in more detail, with more clarity, than all of the others combined. The large majority of books only talk about buying, usually in a bull market. They almost never tell you specifically when to get out of those positions, or if they do, they give a generic profit target like "2 or 3 times your initial risk". How is that good advice? They have no idea of the market that day or of your entry point. I consider myself to be pretty good at entries, almost surgical in precision, so I can use a smaller stop loss to know if the position is going to work. I would go broke if I stuck to "2 or 3 times my initial risk", my winning trades usually go much further and my initial risk is usually very small.

Justin Mamis goes into the psychology of holding positions. He talks about how one professional trader told him "The public is most comfortable when they are sitting with losses". I read that and instantly knew he was correct. I have seen it in the past in my trading. I would be sitting there with a huge profit and I was nervous as hell. Then the next day I was sitting there with a big loss, and I was not nearly as nervous. How is that even possible? To me the loss was easier to accept because I rationalized it as a loss without giving thought to the size of the loss. Holding the winner is tougher because I was focusing on the size of the winner and did not want to close the position at a profit and leave money on the table. Leaving money on the table would turn that huge winner into a loser for me because I was not getting all of it. This is a tough business. Taking profits should not be so draining on your emotions.

Justin explains his thoughts about how the stock market is an ideal arena for ones emotions. You have all the elements of reward and punishment, and many people carry lots of guilt on their shoulders, so losing money in the markets is therapeutic for them. It's sad, but it's probably closer to being true than to being false.

The author goes into detail on market analysis and technical indicators and how to use them. He focuses on price action, but shows you how to use indicators if you need them. Justin talks about news items at tops and bottoms and tells you how to recognize when you are near tops or bottoms. That information alone is easily understandable and more than covers the low price of this important book.

Read the authors other books too, The Nature of Risk (Contrary Opinion Library) and How to Buy: An Insider's Guide to Making Money in the Stock Market.

I was fortunate to come across Justin Mamis' book early in my career on Wall Street. Because of his book, I learned a lot about investor psychology and the art of selling which makes this book unique. It is just not charts and a bunch of "mumble jumbo"- it's learning through Justin's stories how investors behave in a given situation and what happens. I guaranteed it will help you become a better investor because it helped me. I started as a stockbroker but later became a portfolio manager at a major brokerage firm; chief investment officer for a money manager firm; a market strategist; and research director.

Yes, I like this book so 14 years after reading this book I was fortunate to be able hire Justin as my market technician when I became research director for a major regional firm. After working with him on a daily basis for a number of years, I can understand why institutions today are willing to pay a minimum of $20,000/yr. for his services.

One last note: I own a lot of investment books but "When to Sell" is the only book that has even been stolen out of my office. Not once but multiple times. In fact, I got so sick of having to replace it that I quit keeping it at work.