Future Books

The best thing about Alexandra York's atitude towards art is her constant focus on all art as a profound personal value to her. The essays in this book are not detached, unemotional discussions--they make it clear that Alexandra cares about art--and she explains why she does, and why and how you can as well. My personal favorite of all the essays is the last in the book--"Sharing the Miracle"--in which she describes a trip to a sculpture foundry to witness the actual process by which finished works are bronzed. If reading this book can help anyone attain the exalted state of passion for art that Alexandra demonstrates in this one essay, then this book will have more than served its purpose and achieved its goal. Way to go, Alexandra! Keep your fountainhead flowing!

After having read the excellent reviews already submitted it is difficult to find more words to properly prise this book. Whether you are an art lover or are simply interested in the state of our culture, Ms. York provides a series of superb essays to help you find your way. The thing that impresses me the most about her writing is the passion. It is clear, understandable and very passionate. Not the blind rant of a demagogue, but a reasoned, mature, thoughtful passion that arises from deep study and careful analysis. Its a book worth reading over and over!

Over the past several years, Alexandra York has written many cogent articles on art and culture. She defends beauty and representational art beautifully and forcefully in her passionate, but gentle style. She neither bludgeons the reader nor insults him. With the force of her conviction, she gently persuades - and that is a great virtue in a culture dominated by ad hominem attacks. Now, she has collected her best essays in her new book, _From the Fountainhead to the Future_.

I cheered while reading that we should consider Homer the *real* spiritual forefather of the West, and thus we should change our calendars to the year *3000*. She correctly identifies ancient Greece as the intellectual foundation of the West.

If you are looking for a rational defense of what art can and should be and what kind of culture would make such art possible, _From the Fountainhead to the Future_ is an excellent companion to Ayn Rand's seminal work on the philosophy of art.

Ms. York does not simply explain why art is important. She also explains why art is important to YOU. She motivates you, the reader, to both appreciate and understand what various works of art are "saying" to you. Her style is enlightened but in no way pretentious. Also, as an added bonus, she offers many excellent insights on psychology and society. She is one of the very few intellectuals I know of, for example, to say: "I suggest to you that the nation's schools could not have failed, as they have, unless mothers and fathers failed first by abdicating their parental responsibility as guardians of their children's inner development." Excellent and courageous point -- brilliantly articulated, and backed up with extensive examples. The book is full of insights like this one. I highly recommend it.

I devoured this book. Ms. York's views are concise and inspiring, and her insight is eye-opening and impressive. This is a must read for anyone who loves the arts and seeks a better understanding of its virtues and values. Ms. York masterfully explains the importance the arts play in developing the individual mind as well as our culture. I will refer to it often.

This is an excellent book to help a board member clearly understand his responsibility to fund raising. This is an easy read and can be done quickly. Excellent book!

Jerold Panas has done it again, with a deeply insightful, yet infinitely practical little volume. Just about every page contains an applicable nugget of wisdom in the exciting quest to develop a dynamic volunteer board. Get this book -- it's a quick read, but one that is likely to change your outlook and energize your organization.

Previously, when we were planning our major gifts campaign, I used Panas' book, ASKING, to motivate my board. It did the trick. Figuring lightning might strike twice, I recently gave them a copy of FUNDRAISING HABITS. They liked it just as much. And they're in the early stages of modeling some of the behaviors Panas outlines. Definitely if you have a board that needs a fundraising "pump up", this book may help.

I serve on one non-profit Board, so naturally when I was browsing and
came across THE FUNDRAISING HABITS OF SUPREMELY
SUCCESSFUL BOARDS by Jerold Panas,
I just had to get it.

The fact that its subtitle promised me that I could read it in
59 minutes made it even more appealing . . . what's best of
all: the ideas contained in the book made sense . . . and
they work!

For example, there was this one:
Not only is it good manners to thank donors, it's fiscally prudent.
It costs a whopping 4 1/2 times the resources, staff and energy to
acquire a new donor as it is to keep a current one.

Nothing profound, yet something that we forget all too often--regardless
of our field of endeavor.

Then there was the following:
Givers give. Which explains why at the end of your campaign, if you're
short of goal, you cal on those who have already given. You don't go to
those who earlier said, "call on me later." Chances are they'll put
you off again.

Lastly, this tidbit really struck home:
From my 40 years of experience, I can say without question the first
and foremost reason people give is because your organization
changes lives or saves lives.

Although it took me less than an hour to read, I must admit to
going back to reread it because there were so many fine ideas
contained therein . . . in fact, I'm going to recommend THE
FUNDRAISING HABITS to my non-profit Board and, also,
to my friends who belong to other Boards.

Jerry Panas has written a book all of us in philanthropy will want to give to every member of our boards. How often during my twenty-five years of fundraising I have said: "Oh, what I wouldn't give for a stronger board!" What I was really saying was "I wish my board members would give our organization more financial support." And, time and again, I have made the excuse for our board members that they were not chosen because of their philanthropic generosity, but because of their area of expertise. Panas will never let us get away with this excuse again! He raises the bar both for philanthropy staff and for board members with "24 Fundraising Habits" that will change, for the better, our ability to develop effective board members and raise financial support for our organization's mission.

Some in the blogosphere have wanted to see the table of contents for The Future of Marriage. Since the publisher hasn't yet supplied the images for Amazon's preview pages, here is the table of contents:
1. What Is Marriage? 1
2. Prehistory 11
3. The River Valley 23
4. The Trobriand Islands 41
5. What Marriage Is 69
6. Deinstitutionalize Marriage? 127
7. Goods in Conflict 171
8. Determining Marriage's fate 213
Appendix: Topics in the Anthropology of Kinship 247
Acknowledgements 263
Notes 265
Index 317

(Full disclosure, I helped the author with some edits, and I am employed by his organization.)

David Blankenhorn is a world authority on the institution of marriage. One of the biggest debates concerning marriage today is whether we should expand the concept to include same-sex unions. Blankenhorn thinks not, and in these 300 pages he sets out to make the `no' case for homosexual marriage. But he does so, pre-eminently, by making the `yes' case for the institution of heterosexual marriage.

He first seeks to get a handle on what marriage is, and then show how it has been experienced over the centuries. The first half of the book is about what marriage is, and how it has developed. The second half deals with the challenge of same-sex marriage.

Blankenhorn recognises that a definition of marriage is a slippery affair, but after a close examination of the issue and how others have thought about it, he comes up with this helpful conceptualisation:

"In all or nearly all human societies, marriage is socially approved sexual intercourse between a woman and a man, conceived both as a personal relationship and as an institution, primarily such that any children resulting from the union are - and are understood by society to be - emotionally, morally, practically, and legally affiliated with both of the parents."

In his overview of the history of marriage, he demonstrates what has been the universal belief about marriage: It reflects the fundamental belief that "for every child, a mother and a father". Thus marriage is primarily about two things: the socially approved sexual intercourse between a woman and a man, and the protection and nurturing of the fruit of that relationship. Both are vital components of marriage, and must not be separated from it or from each other.

He argues that marriage is based on two universal and timeless basic rules: the rule of opposites (marriage is man-woman) and the rule of sex (marriage involves sexual intercourse). And even though it is difficult for moderns to get their head around this fact, sexual intercourse has always been about procreation, or at least its possibility.

Put at its simplest, "marriage is fundamentally about sex and reproduction". And children born into married households are greatly advantaged. As such, "Marriage is society's most pro-child institution." The research on how child fare in a two-parent household cemented by marriage is now voluminous. No other type of relationship is as good for children as heterosexual marriage. Family structure, in other words, matters overwhelmingly for children.

And marriage is not just a private relationship; it is a public institution. Social institutions exist to meet fundamental human needs. The need for the institution of marriage arises because human beings are "sexually embodied creatures who everywhere reproduce sexually and give birth to helpless, socially needy offspring who remain immature for long periods of time and who therefore depend on the love and support of both of the parents who brought them into existence."

So how does same-sex marriage fit into all this? First, it must be said that Blankenhorn is not unsympathetic to the arguments of homosexuals wanting marriage rights. He believes that basic human rights are important, and that all people must be treated with dignity. But he still believes that marriage is not something that can be redefined to include same-sex relationships.

He argues that homosexual marriage fundamentally means transforming the institution of marriage. Even the various international human rights documents of today speak of the right to participate in the institution of marriage, but they do not "recognise the right to turn marriage into another word for any private adult relationship of choice".

And given the intimate link between marriage and parenting, to change the institution of marriage is to change parenthood itself. Changing marriage changes marriage for everyone, and it will change parenthood for everyone. But as the research keeps telling us, that will be bad news for children. Says Blankenhorn, every child in the world has a right to a name, a nationality, and a mother and father.

In addition to the deinstitutionalisation of marriage, same-sex marriage would "require us in both law and culture to deny the double origin of the child." Says Blankenhorn, "I can hardly imagine or more serious violation".

Blankenhorn then goes on to list some 23 possible positive consequences of legalising same-sex unions, then lists 24 possible negative outcomes. He also offers 12 possible neutral outcomes. A major reason for all this is to demonstrate that this idea being proposed is a very big one indeed, with profound consequences.

As but one example, if we accept the logic of same-sex marriage, how can we possibly oppose the logic of, say, bisexual, polyamorous marriage? If we can redefine marriage in terms of sexual orientation, "why not permit a bisexual woman to marry one man and one woman?"

The consequences of such a revolutionary change will be far-reaching, and at this point, perhaps unmeasurable. But the changes will be monumental. Thus we need to be very careful about how we proceed here.

Blankenhorn concludes by offering some recommendations as to how we might strengthen the institution of marriage. He acknowledges that the future of marriage is shaky at best. But it has never been equalled. The message of this important book is that we dare not play fast and loose with the world's first, and most important, social institution.

This is the first book I have read from Blankenhorn, but it will not be the last. Some people have a real talent for writing clearly and translating their expertise into simple, ordinary language that the layman (like me) can understand. Blankenhorn is one of these people. He manages to transmit a vast amount of research and knowledge in language that is as accessible and understandable as the pages of a newspaper. His style is engaging and keeps the reader interested - and on occasion he even manages to be extremely witty and funny!

Blankenhorn's book is important and unique for several reasons. One, it contains an excellent in-depth look at the history of marriage. Over five chapters, Blankenhorn "visits" different eras, civilizations and societies in world history, and examines their views on marriage. The chapters are far from boring - they read almost like the script of a National Geographic special, and are very engaging. Blankenhorn shows us that throughout history, marriage has always had childbearing at its core, and it has always consisted of a man and a woman.

The next three chapters deal with marriage as it currently stands, and especially with the challenge posed to it by same-sex marriage. For those who are short on time and prone to skimming or skipping, or who might put the book down without getting through the first five chapters, go directly to chapters 6 and 7 for some more contemporary and to-the-point information.

In Chapters 6 and 7, Blankenhorn systematically answers and destroys every major argument presented by gays in favor of same-sex marriage. His arguments are based on antropological and sociological research - on fact, not religion. After reading this book, you will recognize all the arguments instantly - and you'll be well-armed with factual and scientific ammunition to answer them.

Blankenhorn admits in the book that he does not agree with the Bible that homosexuality is sinful. He actually favors equal rights for gay people, but cannot reconcile his support for their equality with the damage done to children through the redefinition of marriage. Indeed, this is the most articulate and complete defense of keeping marriage heterosexual that I have yet seen. A book that needed to be written!

Blankenhorn, the famous author of "Fatherless America" returns to the subject of marriage again in this book. What spurred him to write this wa when he was challenged by a friend about same sex marriage.

We do seem to be in the middle of vast changes to marriage. In 1950, when the changes really began, there were a few warning studies showing that divorce harmed the children involved. However, psychologists suggested that the damage might be due to societal disapproval of divorce.

Well, we now have not thousands, or hundreds of thousands, but millions of studies showing that children are damaged when they are not raised by their two biological parents. Whether we are talking about the poorest country in Africa, or a country like Greenland, where marriage has practically vanished, the studies keep showing the same grim reality: children do better when raised by their biological mother and father. Period.

Statistically, children of divorced parents have greater difficulty with school, show more emotional problems throughout their lives, and are more likely to have problems with drugs and sex. Yet even these children do better, statistically, than children whose parents have never married. And, at the bottom of the barrel, the worst damage occurs with blended families, typically, when a divorced mother marries a second husband. The statistics on these families make for grim reading.

We are talking about a catastrophic situation for millions and millions of children. What is to be done?

In the middle of this tragedy talk about making the bonds of marriage even looser seems sure to harm, not help. What is urgently needed in a national debate on the subject of marriage and children. What seems silly is the focus upon same sex marriage at this time.

Blankenhorn, who seems to want to allow gays to marry, is forced, in the end, to take a stand against it. There are simply too many factors, legal and social, that line up against it.

This is a very troubling book. Anyone interested in the subject of marriage today will also want to read "The Abolition of Marriage" which is invaluable for its research. And don't forget to pick up "Fatherless America" as well.

David Blankenhorn's important new book, The Future of Marriage makes clear that the social issue of our time is not whether marriage will be "expanded" to include same sex couples. The real issue is whether marriage as an institution will be so emptied of meaning that it becomes a gender neutral institution, rather than the premier gender-based institution of society. This isn't fundamentally about gay people. The issue is marriage: what marriage is, and what it does for society. Blankenhorn argues convincingly that gender-neutral marriage, (which is what same sex marriage will create) can not perform the social functions that marriage universally performs: marriage attaches children with their fathers and mothers and fathers to each other.
Even in societies that tolerate pre-marital sex, permit polygamy, or take a relaxed approach to divorce, the basic idea of marriage across time and cultures does not change: for every child, a mother and a father. Human societies strive to have children affiliated with both their biological parents. The mother and child unit has universally been considered incomplete, and the sociological position of the father considered indispensable. Universally, that is, up until the last generation in modern western societies.

The public opinion-making elites of this country have pretty much decided that same sex marriage is a moral imperative.That is why you have heard so little about David Blankenhorn's new book, The Future of Marriage. Even the human interest story in USA Today was about David, and not his ideas. Blankenhorn makes a reasoned case, independent of any religious belief, for marriage as intrinsically a union between opposite sex couples. No one can read this book and believe that only the ignorant or spiteful oppose same sex marriage. An honest engagement with the arguments of this book reveals sophisticated and compelling arguments in favor of marriage.

Whether you are convinced by Blankenhorn's arguments or not, the arguments deserve to be considered. The elites hope to kill this book by ignoring it. Don't let them. Buy the book. Read it. Share it with others. We need to have an honest discussion about the meaning and The Future of Marriage.

This book addresses an incredibly important topic - and is well written to boot. The danger of reputations ruined by carelessness, or by deliberate ill will, should be understood. In fact, this book should be mandatory for human resources personnel and any search committee that uses the Internet to check on a potential employee.

Hopefully Solove will follow up soon with another book. Sites such as Topix, provide a frightening forum for people who are less than ethical. Although Topix provides an alternative format for news, there is no oversight for accuracy or even truth. If Orson Welles had had access to the Internet, perhaps we would all have learned a valuable lesson about questioning and independent thinking. Since Welles is no longer with us, at least we have Daniel Solove to encourage us to question timely issues.

Prof. Solove's latest book is a great follow up to The Digital Person (which I also recommend). What I have enjoyed about his writings is his ability to communicate not only to attorneys like myself, but also to a non-lawyer audience. His focus on Internet privacy impacts all of us, and as anyone who follows the news knows, the explosive growth of Cyberspace places a greater burden on the individual and on the legal community to bolster protections and to guard against invasions of privacy. Solove's work explains the terrain of this new digital era in a way that is informative, engrossing, and relevant. I'm looking forward to his future scholarship in this field.

Solove's book doesn't provide answers, rather it provides situations that help you ask the right questions.

As an extra bonus it is extremely well written and an enjoyable read.

The author, Daniel J. Solove, was kind enough to send me an advance copy of this book; it scored a KnowProSE.com 10/10:

"With actual real world examples gleaned from the internet and put in the limelight, the author seems to leave no stone unturned in a quest for answers. Many people will have heard of some of the examples but few will have looked at them in such a circumspect a manner - and even fewer will have done so with a legal background.

Most of my time spent reading this book was spent nodding - I knew about 70% of the stories, but then I've been around a while and have been following the Internet closely- more so than most people on the internet. Still, in most instances the author was able to show me at least one new side to it. This seemed a job which makes the Herculean quest of cleaning the stables seem simple - there is no river to divert here, but there is most certainly a lot of manure. Perhaps the book is the start of the river's diversion. Cyber-bullying, Internet Vigilantism, libel, defamation... mountains are easily grown from molehills in cyberspace.

The book is very easy to read, it flows and takes on a life of its own. I could not put it down; even knowing some of the stories did not deter my interest. After much contemplation, I have decided to give the book a KnowProSE.com 10/10 score. Only one other book has been given that status, and both books have received this status because they were interesting books that were well written and important, and do one other thing in particular: they will stand the test of time. Daniel J. Solove is rapidly becoming to privacy what Lawrence Lessig is to copyright and the public domain.

If you are reading this review, you need to read this book. Who knows? My next blog entry might be about you. Of all the people who need to read this book, I think bloggers are the ones who need to read it the most: being aware of the consequences of what one writes is important in an age when everyone can write, but not everyone considers the consequences to others. Would that we all understood this better."

Once I started The Future of Reputation, I could not put it down. The book brings alive how online gossip, social networking sites, and blogs increasingly define who we are and how were are perceived in today's Information Age. The stories it tells are, at once, laugh-out-loud funny and terrifying. We see the lives of others distorted by vengeful ex-lovers and mocked by teachers. Online commentators shine light on bad behavior to shame people. Our reputations are out of our control.

What I loved about this book is that it asks us to rethink assumptions about how we define ourselves in an age where search engines tell our story to future employers and old high-school classmates. The book helped me appreciate that online shaming plays a new and perhaps important role in shaping behavior but also has serious costs. It offers thoughtful suggestions for what we can do about these problems without sacrificing so much of what is liberating about our online interactions. This is a must read for anyone who is interested in living a full and informed life in the Internet age.

Jolie Marshall's husband Chris sure fooled her. He came along at just the right time when she was nursing a broken heart and conned her into her marrying him. Since then he's managed to steal most of her mother's life savings. She can't divorce him until she gets enough evidence of his adultery and other dirty dealings. Meanwhile, she's found an outlet to help her keep her sanity while she's waiting, The Future Widow's Club. The FWC is a place where she and other wives can come and plan for when they can finally be free. After all, why settle for half when you can have it all? But when Chris is murdered, her affiliation with the FWC may not be a good thing.

The detective on the case is Jake Malone, the man who broke Jolie's heart and sent her straight into Chris' arms. Jake knows he made a terrible mistake when he let Jolie go and he's suffered watching her in a horrible marriage. Now that Jolie is free again he wants a second chance. But as long as Jolie is a suspect in her husband's murder he is unable to become personally involved with her. Once she's cleared Jolie better watch out, because Jake is determined to correct his past mistakes and get Jolie back where she belongs, with him!

I couldn't stop laughing while reading The Future Widow's Club! From the moment Jake and Jolie share a scene together, the chemistry and emotion is obvious and I became thoroughly engrossed. Plus the mystery about who really killed Chris is extremely well done. I will be looking for more in future from Rhona Nelson who I foresee quickly becoming a must-read author. Humor, suspense, and a well-written love story: The Future Widow's Club has it all!

Melissa
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Jolie Marshall is living for the moment that she can divorce her husband Chris. He is abusive, cheats on her, and has stolen money from her mother and other investors in their software company. He has the money to pay them all back, but puts in in off shore accounts instead. Jolie is slowly putting together the money to pay off the debts and compiling evidence to use in her divorce case. She married Chris on the rebound, when her boyfriend since third grade, Jake, got cold feet on the subject of commitment. Her father had just died and she wanted more from the relationship, Jake decided to concentrate of his career with the Sheriff's Office instead. Angry, Jolie went on vacation by herself and came back with Chris, to her eternal regret. A support group of sorts, The Future Widows Club, asks her to be a member. They look forward to the death of their spouses. They arrange the funeral, pick out an outfit, and most importantly, buy a hat. The meetings once a week are a godsend for these women, being the only place where they can be open about the problems in their marriages. Unfortunately, shortly after Jolie really gets into the spirit of the FWC, her husband is murdered, and his penis cut off and missing. More unfortunately, Jake is the detective assigned to the case. She never fell out of love with him and he apparently feels the same way. In spite of an ironclad alibi, she really LOOKS guilty.

I loved this book!!! The members of the FWC are very vivid and funny. The author enabled you to really get into the story. You get annoyed at Jake, hate Chris, and feel sympathy for all the future widows. I will definitely be looking to read more books by this author.

In Moon Valley, Jolie Marshal regrets marrying charming SOB Chris who embezzled money from their company leaving friends and her mother potentially in the lurch. When she can pay back her "creditors", she will divorce Chris, who she married when vulnerable following the death of her father and rejection by her boyfriend Jake, who was not ready for a wife.

The Future Widows' Club invites Jolie to join their group. Finding solace, she agrees and begins following some of the rules like taking out life insurance on her spouse. However, someone was irate when they shot Chris in the heart and cut off his penis. Could it be Sheriff Dean who has pictures of his wife with Chris? Or Police Officer Jake who is livid that this worm hit Jolie, the woman he still loves and regrets he let down? Or perhaps the grieving widow who just took out insurance on the rat?

THE FUTURE WIDOWS' CLUB is a strange dark humorous romance with police procedural elements to add excitement to the question of who killed Chris. The story line initially appears to be one of an abused spouse but switches gear once the merry widows invite Jolie to join. Rhonda Nelson writes a strong satirical dark look at society that accepts plenty of abusive "values" under the label of protecting the family.

Harriet Klausner

Having read romance novels for much of my adult life, it's hard for me to find anything that doesn't seem like the same tired old thing. Ms. Nelson's book, however, was refreshingly different, and just plain fun to read with all the elements of a good romance.

The Future Widow's Club is a must read! I loved the sassy secondary characters. As clever and engaging as the plot and premise were, it was the hero and heroine's long lost love that touched me the deepest. Don't miss this book!

When I read this book, I was very glad to see that there are solutions to the problems we face and that there is hope that our quality of life can become much better than it is. I really appreciate all books that tell us about solutions to problems and/or better alternatives to the status quo!

The trouble with the majority of writing about climate change and other environmental worries is that they make people think, "Oh, hell. It's too late anyway. Why even try to do anything?" The Geography of Hope is an antidote to this kind of thinking. I am now 54 years old, and when I was 20 years old or so, I devoured ecological jeremiads such as Rachel Carson's Silent Spring. The trouble is, back then I actually thought my civilization was doomed to fall apart before the end of the 20th century. This, fortunately, didn't happen and in the meantime I got sidelined by matters too complex to detail here. Now at last I am returning to my environmental roots, but I find I simply no longer have the patience and strength to wade through dour predictions of ecological gloom and doom. Chris Turner's The Geography of Hope is the first book on this topic that I have felt glad to pick up, because it shows that it is really possible to put the brakes to the looming climate train wreck before it occurs and that sustainability is already within our grasp using existing technology, if only we would commit to it. How inspiring!

If anyone is feeling that the world is coming to an end because of human folly...then you must read "The Geography Of Hope"Here you will meet individuals all over the world who are making the world a better place and there is HOPE !!!! Brav0 !!!

Chris Turner takes a year-long tour around the world, visiting places that are implementing solutions for sustainable living. A zero-net energy island in Denmark. Community Supported Agriculture in the southern USA. Plug-in hybrid cars. Earthship homes in New Mexico. Radical improvements in waste recycling in various industries. Examples of New Urbanism in city planning and architecture in Florida, the UK, Denmark, Colorado. Mass transit and city policy in Portland. Finhorn in the UK and Tibetan refugee communities in India -- for agriculture and community and deliberate living. A micro-hydro installation in a remote village on the Burma/Thai border built by local villagers, folks from a nearby refugee camp students, and local NGOs. He looks at questions like "what kinds of planning and structures inspire community?" "What exists NOW that can be building blocks for a truly sustainable world?" Inspiring and casual at the same time.

I have no background in environmentalism or connection to the author. As a general reader I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it informative, inspiring and entertaining in equal parts. An unequivocal five stars!
The author is a journalist and disillusioned environmental activist. He is also a new father, and, concerned for his daughter's future, decided to do a global survey of existing, practical methods of achieving environmental sustainability. His perspective is what makes this book so refreshing: tired of the mainstream environmental movement's two main weapons of guilt and apocalyptic predictions, he searches for not just the means but the inspiration to change the way the world's resources are used. I found this practical, hopeful approach much more compelling than the doom-and-gloom, armchair analyst approach of, say, George Monbiot's Heat.
Potential readers should keep in mind that the author's previous opus was Planet Simpson, an exploration of the cultural significance of an animated cartoon series. This is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, it informs his writing with a pop-culture sensibility that makes for entertaining asides and a contemporary grasp of how cultural fashions evolve. On the other hand, the one time I felt we may be getting a little too much information was in the final chapter. There he describes how the epiphany of embracing environmental sustainability occurred to him at a Seattle Lebowski Fest, a cult-like celebration of a movie that he admits to "only begin to understand after the fifth viewing". Presumably fatherhood changed his priorities, and rather than strain his credibility, I found this geeky anecdote disarming. A Greenpeace diatribe this is not.

Having read countless dozens of investment books and many more monthly journals, I can say that Spitz's book is the one I find most memorable and upon which I have based my investment portfolio. This is pretty plain-vanilla, common-sense investing that will serve anyone well over time. Too bad it could not be presented as a mandatory one credit course to all high school seniors (albeit advanced for many of them) - investing looks to be a skill all will need going forward, and it really can be pretty simple.

Mr. Spitz provides a no nonsense, intelligent approach to retirement investing. He uses historical data and his vast experience to support his staightforward, "anybody can do it" philosophy. Most importantly, he teaches the average investor how to avoid the extraneous and useless information that plagues all do-it-yourself investors. With his approach, a plan is always set in place, removing the need for "thinking" about your retirement. Every person in charge of his own retirement should read this book.

the end of the I met Mr. Spitz several years ago when he spoke at a Vanderbilt Alumni Reunion in Louisville. He explained his book, which I purchased, and I was able to use his philosophies in setting up investments for hundreds of injured people. I still quote parts of the book verbatim to this very day.

I recently purchased several copies of the book to give to people who work in our office. It is one of the best investment philosophy books ever written.

Don McNay...

I met the author twice when he spoke to a small group. I liked Bill's thought process and bought the book about eight years ago. I still have it, well marked and well used. Bill explained his purpose in writing the book as showing individual investors how to apply the same principles of investing and investment management that he applied as Treasurer of Vanderbilt. There he selected and provided oversight over a number of portfolio managers who managed portions of the Vanderbilt endowment. Bill shows how an individual can do the same thing by investing in a diversified group of mutual funds.

Bill carefully explains the elements of an investment portfolio (U.S. stocks, small cap stocks, bonds, real estate, etc.) and suggests several allocations between the elements. One unique aspect of his advice is that every portfolio should have a real estate component. His discussion convinced me and real estate investment trusts are now an important part of my retirement portfolio.

This is a well written quide for the individual investor who seeks a well thought out plan for investing.

Spitz, Treasurer of Vanderbilt University, spells out in simple terms, how to invest in 5 or 6 classes of mutual funds to match the level of risk for your stage of life. He shows how to analyse your level of risk and makes a few assumptions about future growth potential and creates a plan for financial security that the reader can follow and practise without the need for stock brokers or other expensive financial advisors. Easy to read and understand.

We cannot predict the future, but we can prepare for and possibly shape the outcomes. This is a really great book that conveys a process of "Foresight to Insight to Action" to make sense of, and to address possible futures. Further discussion about gleaning Vision, Understanding, Clarity, and Agility in a world that is Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous is also helpful. Finally, an exploration of the difference between "problem solving" and "dilemma sense-making" is a key concept for a shift in thinking in how to mangage through the challenges that face us today, and in the future.

This book is very useful for those who must think strategically to lead their organizations. I have benefitted both personally and professionaly from the content of this book.

I've worked closely with Bob Johansen and IFTF for the last decade. This book is a wonderful summary of all the meetings, conversations, techniques, and forecasts - of all the things I've learned working with Bob. I've used all of these techniques and approaches - repeatedly. They work for me. They can work for you.
Tim Van Roekel - P&G

Get There Early is an important book. In this age of volitility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, we all can use some help. Bob's clear explaination of the forces that will impact our children and grandchildren need to be understood. For companies trying to tackle sustainability, wellness, lack of leadership, poor decision-making and other top challenges, this should be required reading.

GET THERE EARLY: SENSING THE FUTURE TO COMPETE IN THE PRESENT provides a survey of techniques developed by the Institute for the Future, which has been refining such ideas for nearly forty years. It develops the Institute's three-step Foresight to Insight to Action cycle that allows readers to understand and navigate the world of dilemmas and problems, using simulation gaming and real-world problems to encourage innovative thinking and strategies. An excellent account, GET THERE EARLY is perfect for business collections appealing to business and community leaders.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This is a very readable book that demystifies "futurism" while simultaneously explaining how foresight work focused 10, 20, or even 50 years into the future can be indispensably helpful to organizations, whether profit-based or with other missions.

Inside the book jacket is an actual Map of the Future, which is explained in detail in the text.

If you're responsible for strategy or innovation, this is one of those few books that is undeniably worth the investment.


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Full disclosure: I'm affiliated with Institute for the Future, and know Bob.

A great contribution. Illustrates how to build global firms that create value. Pragmatic, with interesting new insights from Asia. If you are a CEO, take up the challenge - use this book

This volume provides dramatic insight into how Asian companies are developing their global strategies. Foreward looking and highly international, this volume privides breakthrough analysis and recommendations. I liked Samsung's case in particular.

a very timely book. Lenovo, SAIC, Benq, TCL, CNOOC - they are all bidding for European or American firms. And they are right to do so. These deals will propel them on the forefront of international business.

Global Future is a world-class book - an excellent guide to global strategy. While the argument is at times very dense and tightly written, it is also very clearly and succinctly put together for corporate executives to follow. The authors understand the real world - the complexities and challenges firms face when they address global opportunities. The author's treatment of global issues is not just worth the reading, but a book you will want to keep within reach from your desk.

The authors give extraordinary insight into the challenging environment in which Asian business leaders operate today. Rigorously researched, this is the indispensable guide to corporate globalization.

Mr. Hulet is a harsh critic of america and deftly observes the decay and disintegration of this culture.In aphoristic style describing how things are not how they should be. If you're looking for political correctness or for a particular advocacy, you won't find it here. If you're easily insulted and find critical thinking hurts your brain come on in, this books for you! The author's trenchant social analysis is concise and devastatingly accurate. He pulls no punches and no sacred cows are spared, kudos to him for kicking our collective butts. I found this book provocative, prescient and it insists readers engage in self-examination, as individuals and as a country, of our values and philosophy without pretext, lies, propaganda or vitriol. Surely, these views will be unpopular with some, but accurate. Conservatives and liberals alike will find much in these pages to incite them to apoplexy, for this I applaud Mr. Hulet, if I am correct and both liberals and conservatives seek to drive a stake through Mr. Hulets heart then he has done his job,the ability to infuriate all the demagogues means you're on the right track. Well done Mr. Hulet, Well done!

It's usually pretty easy to decide whether a book belongs in the philosophy section, at the reference desk, toward the psychology materials, or with the political books. This one deserves a shelf of its own. A collection of mostly aphorisms and poetry, Global Triage embodies characteristics of history's finest thinkers.

Reflections on war, religion, love, and mankind, for instance, convey the introspective discipline of Montaigne. Observations on American-led political institutions and culture evoke the perspicacious effort of Tocqueville. But, as the title suggests, the book's honest, autobiographical style may compare best with that of Nietzsche. Indeed, this deeply personal work exemplifies artistic expression perhaps attainable only by rigorous practice of those principles taught and practiced by the German philosopher.

Readers of this book ought to be thankful that Mr. Hulet bothered not only to write it, but to make it available. The work is a coup de maitre.

Like his first book, 'Human, All Too Human,' 'Global Triage' is a bold and courageous statement by Craig Hulet. His work requires a level of maturity which embodies honesty, self-criticalness, and humor. Absent of condescension, Hulet's words resonate with the integrity of a philosopher who embraces his duty to be honest with his fellow citizens. Through aphoristic writing, Hulet exposes the deeply embedded problems within the American culture from which he comes. Yet his critical eye and concise words do not manipulate the reader's opinions into agreement, but rather serve as a catalyst for debate and introspection. He is an urban guide who points out the quirks, details, and intricacies of American society which, when exposed, ignites critical observation on the part of the reader.

Craig Hulet's Global Triage unleashes a crucial voice and perspective on our modern world. This incisive commentary is unsparing and unwavering in its committment to truth. Hulet captures this exact moment- a time like no other- and articulates its profound nature. He clearly demonstrates why ours is such a unique time, that we are poised at the edge of a completely different world order. He describes a world of economic interdependence driven by the greed and selfishness by those at the top that serve to benefit but also stresses that these individuals win because of the lack of vigilance of a disinterested American public who has taken democracy for granted. He holds a mirror to us- a stark, unsparing one to be sure- but one that resonates deeply because it is so clear that Hulet has first of all used that mirror on himself. His simultaneous examination of himself and the world around him proves that the inner and outer worlds are not mutually exclusive. But far from being a new-agey, navel-gazing self-help tract combined with the usual agenda-based, naive political ramblings, Hulet's take is, as the title of the book suggests, thoroughly Nietzchean. Hulet is willing to throw himself against the wall repeatedly to deliver a cold-eyed, direct view of our current political and cultural situation. The inspiring thing about reading this book, as difficult as it may be to face some of the facts and truths, is that it is so clear that Hulet cares about this country and this world and the true victims of it. He places the ordinary American at blame as much as he does the arrogant elitist. Like Nietzche, he challenges our preconceptions and encourages us to look deeper. Then, after taking us through an olympian joust with the world around and within us, he finishes off with a book of poetry, dealing out similar themes and searing self-examination in impeccable verse. Damn! Highly recommended.

If you look for thinking beyond trashy talk radio, corporate news, and the disease of our culture, this book is for you. After exposing the hypocrisy of the various factions that constitute our non-culture and a political apparatus that would make a general systems theorist drool, Mr. Hulet spende a large portion of the book laying out the broad outlines of the future that a corporate empire will wield on its all too deserving populace, every selfish consumer merely a cog in the wheel.. The idea of true freedom and capacity to stand alone to figure things out for oneself are shown to be vanishing traits, replaced by every possible diversion and expressions of self in things that don't matter, like your shoes, or bungie jumping or whatever else. Of special importance is his analysis of the establishment progressive left, which feigns opposition to all that is going on yet (knowingly?) plays into the hands of the further concentration of governmental power. Example: what is the purpose of complete gun control under a government that the left often declares to be "fascist"? Hmmm. The structure of the evolving global economic regime, known to the masses as George Bush's New World Order, is laid out with some of the primary power consolidation groupings explained. It appears to be more of a momentous, managed organic process than any so called conspiracy, which is considered to be a lazy person's excuse to think about a difficult subject. The poetry at the end of the book contains a few real nuggets. There is some personal poetry about life and nature which is really nice. I heartily recommend hearing an oral presentation of "Triage" and "The Beast" done back to back by a friend or other whilst you peer out the window at the urban landscape and polish off a bottle of good wine. The spirit of the future will come wafting in the window and scare the dickens out of you. A real alarm clock for ubermenschers.