Future Books

Exercises are easy to do relevant and productive. Worth the investment. I can get over the offensiveness of the title though.

Despite the title, this book is a positive book for change. The author Andrea Kay provides the reader with the motivation and encouragement necessary for those who dare to make a major life change in careers. She does this by not only helping the reader think about all of the ins and outs of career change, but also asking questions to help you probe the depths of what your true passion is. She provides plenty of real life examples of people who have dared to change course, some early in life and some late. Like most career books, this book has plenty of reflective questions and worksheet style spacing for your own personal answers. But what sticks out in this book, is the emphasis on personal passion. She also provides great insights into preparing yourself for future jobs trends and exploring job niches you might not have thought of before reading this book. This book helped me think through my desire to change careers and I really appreciate the help.

The LIFE'S A BITCH AND THEN YOU CHANGE CAREERS book is pretty informative for people who hate their jobs and want to make a change. But be prepared to do some work.

The first eight chapters/steps in the book are writing assignments! You answer many questions about what you enjoy, what type of environment you'd like to work in and with who, what skills you've picked up along the way etc., etc. and you don't define a job title at the beginning. The questions are easy enough to answer but really take some soul-searching and introspection.

At first, I thought the exercises were amusing but after doing them every chapter it got frustrating. Many of the questions would repeat and I didn't get why the author was doing this...other than to fill pages. Well, in the end I did see why. The exercises help you understand that you are more than just a job title and that you can switch to something else if you aren't happy. Answering the questions, in a way, also answers the nagging fears and self-doubt that keep popping up in your head when you do decide to change careers.

The book is designed to help people figure out what they want to do next, as well as help those who already know what they want to do, make sure they've made the best choice. That's why you do all the damn exercises! But there's also another plus to answering all those questions; you'll then have the answers to what goes into your updated resume, what you should say in a cover letter, and what you'll say when you get an interview. So it's not a waste of time.

The ninth and final step/chapter is what's really helpful because the author, Andrea Kay, goes into what to expect such as fear, self-doubt, what to do when you encounter resistance, and how to gain experience in a field you've never worked in before. Very helpful, although the suggestions on getting an internship were odd because Kay writes that you can get internships outside of Universities etc., you just have to be willing to work for free. The problem with that is that companies are not allowed to hire anyone and make them work for "free," even if it's an internship. Interns, who don't receive pay(stipend), must be getting credit which means you have to go through a college. And I'm not saying it's not possible to work for free and no credit blah-blah-blah, but then this is how people get taken advantage of. So beware if that's the road you choose to take.

But aside from that, the book is really helpful. And I was surprised to find that I've been doing many of the things in the book already. I gave four stars because I think some people will be turned off by all the Q&As!

Ever since I entered college, I have struggled with understanding the place where I need to be. As a result, I switched college majors 3 times before my junior year. Although a 4.00 student, I had no sincere interest for the subjects and had no vision over my future. I decided that temp work would help me discover my "thing." I was sad to find that nothing seemed to interest me.

However, I would not give up. In order to find that stability, I joined the US Air Force. Although an extremely fulfilling experience, I still had that feeling of emptiness inside. How could I fight this? Four years later, I separated from the military and sought out a career in the corporate world. It would not be long before those empty feelings got a hold of me.

I found Andrea's book by accident at a local Borders store. The title caught my attention. Yes, life was a bitch!!! There was no denying that! I did not think about it twice and acquired the book right away. It took me around 47 days to finish the book along with each one of the exercises. I was stunned to learn so much about myself. I took the lessons Andrea outlined seriously, as if I had a career coach sitting right next to me. I did not lie to myself, or "cheat." It was now or never.

Well, 6 months later I was stunned to find out that all the work had paid off. Now, I work for a very successful firm in the city, got the job for 15K more than I had been making, and have started a Masters degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. My life has never felt so balanced before. I find myself enjoying my children more, speaking more to my husband, and just simply enjoying where I am today. I truly feel that this had to be said. Andrea Kay has a gift, and we are lucky enough to be able to share those with her.

I wish you success!
Dorana

Being at a stage in my life where I felt I needed to do something different, I searched for just the right book to help me with that decision. I loved Andrea Kay's title, and admit that's what drew me to reading about her book. It has some very thought-provoking exercises, as well as many real-life examples...real people, going through the same things as me. I already had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do with the next 25 years of my working life, and this book just helped me finalize my decision.

Who could resist reading this book after seeing that awesome subtitle of "The Mystical Union of Two Souls?" Especially when it is told from a perspective of such compelling Theology as this intimacy of love between two persons! From the beginning of the "Preface to the Second Edition" by Cynthia Bourgeault and the Introduction by David Steindl-Rast, OSB, I became aware of her depth of this "Mystical Union of Two Souls!"

Nothing said by friends who recommended and loaned me their book even slightly prepared me for the powerful building blocks of this book! It kept me leaping from one level to another, almost as thrilling as shooting the rapids or going from low altitudes in a Jet Fighter Plane up to 35,000 feet level, without getting the bends! I ran through several examples of descriptions:

Chapter 3 on the "Mystical Completion of Souls": "These building blocks come mostly from the Christian esoteric (inner) tradition-- The Fourth Way of G.I. Gurdjieff--plus Christian hermeticism coming further from Jacob Boehme. The four building blocks are: 1) The union of souls 2) The idea of second body 3) The vow, or promise 4) "The wonders."

Later in the same chapter she describes "the time of bodily life the soul has earnestly pledged itself [to another] but has not forsworn that promise." During the last few weeks of Rafe's life before his death, he began "his crash course in enhancing his second body-- primarily through practice of "true resignation!" Although she describes theirs as a Physical Love story, it is totally without maudlin, syrupy-sweet, love scenes or the usual sexuality.

My understanding was a bit illuminated from reading from both Jacob Boehme and G.I.Gurdjieff. It came again from, "the laying down of one's personal will, in order to be unconditionally present to the will of God. [Not all-together new!]

After three short chapters in "Wrestling with an Angel" she uses a profound quote from a distinguished Psychaitrist, Helen Luke, saying, "Wholeness is born of the acceptance of the conflict of human and divine in the individual psyche." Immediately, she quotes Dylan Thomas: If the principal office of "love in this life is to unbolt the dark," to release its prisoners of shame, it seems that our wedding garments in eternity are spun... Here I glimpsed her hazy picture of that second body as a spiritual body close to the description of St Paul in I Corinthians!

Cynthia stretches us into her own understanding of "The Mystical Union of Two Souls," from her deepening spiritual love for her Hermit Monk, Raphael Robin. Joyfully, Retired Chaplain Fred W Hood

This love story of eternal beauty guides us in the natural evolution of our loving relationships. We are encouraged to consider the boundless possibilities of 'love' and 'relationship'. With that comes the profound responsibility to recognize how vastly important each individual is in the grand scheme of life. The combination of the scholarly and spiritual delving in this story is such a workout that I would suggest reading the book once for the love story, and again and again for an ever-deepening exploration of our relationship to one another, to the earth, and to whatever lies beyond. Of paramount importance we must learn to listen and open our hearts. Cynthia Bourgeault offers a way to follow this simple yet challenging path.

Essentially a powerfully moving love story of two aging individuals, Love Is Stronger Than Death: The Mystical Union Of Two Souls by resident teacher for the Contemplative Society and spiritual retreat authority Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault, is drawn from the life and experiences of Brother Raphael (Rafe) Robin, an Episcopalian priest, author and a Trappist hermit. The ability of human and spiritual love to transcend death and open the way to joyous bliss is superbly presented in this highly recommended and heartwarming tale of building an emotional, personal, and loving relationship for the future that transcends all earthly limitations.

I happen to have known the author very well for several years. She is audacious in nature, and her spirituallity is mixed with great ambition. A careful look at her personal past, her three marriages, and intense desire for spiritual recognition all suggest care should be taken.

There are few books to compare with this one. The nature of death and the power of love are explored from so many directions that, in the end, we are given a spiritual guide through life and beyond. Ms. Bourgeault shows us that we do not need to be limited by the generally accepted truths of the major spiritual traditions, nor by those of various esoteric teachings. Her personal experience speaks in every word so that, instead of an abstract treatise on inner work, we are shown a road map marked out by someone who has been there. This is the perfect book for anyone who has recently lost a life partner. It is also the perfect book for anyone who has just found a life partner.

Great book. This book has been reviewed by the following publications:
1) Business Library Review International, founded The Wall Street Review of Books before becoming BLRI.
....Effy Oz's cartoon supported guide to business-a perfect high school graduation present. Nuggets of wisdom includes his observation that "Objectively, your performance may be excellent, and yet, people may not like you"(p.49); "Organizations are systems made up of people"(p31); "Be PC (politically correct)" (p119)

2) Dennis McCafferty, writer for USA Weekend
.....Oz's observation that it is a mistake to avoid office politics is worth noting....

3) Business Journal, Allentown, PA
....Oz offers many good tips, eg, One good word about you from an insider is worth more than a thousand recommendations from former professors...you should not let anyone leave a meeting without summarizing theree things: what is to be done, who will do it and when is the deadline... .

3) Journal of Information Technology - Cases and Applications
....something you will not learn in Harvard Business School...meets a largely unmet need... .

I represent the publisher, Ivy League Publishing
(ivylp.home.mindspring.com). I'm not trying to write a review here, but to let everyone know that this book received a rave review from Business Library Review Int'l. This is the same organization that formed the Wall Street Review of Books before becoming BLRI. In any case, BLRI review of this book says:

"....Effy Oz's Manager Bible is a cartoon supported guide to business - a perfect high school graduation present. Nuggets of wisdom......."

This small and entertaining book is a must for any beginning manager. Easy to read and highly informative. It helped me a lot.

This is a great gift for anyone who has just graduated from a business school even if you already have some experience. You will learn a lot.

The book provides plenty of practical advice for anyone who is a manager or is about to become one. The cartoons add to the great sense of humor.

When grief was ready to swallow me alive, this book showed up and turned everything around. It brought me comfort, hope, and validation that was nowhere else to be found. Thank you for writing this book. Thank you for being a miracle in my life.

I was deeply impressed by The Miracle of Death. Betty J. Kovacs was well prepared to listen to the force behind the force of pure creativity (p. 37), being trained in the theory of symbolic language, yet the path was long and hard before she could see that everything is real, whether it has form or not(p. 98). She takes our hand and leads us to the space and time of consciousness and this journey transforms our understanding of reality irrevocably. Her access to multidimensional realties is based
on (precognitive) dreams, which she interprets not in the classic analytical way but on the transpersonal and universal, thus spiritual, level. Betty J. Kovacs describes powerful dreams and visions which prepared her unconsciously for dramatic events to come, the soul can grieve for future realities (p. 137). She and her husband had many
visions of their departed son which can be put on a level with after-death communications (ADCs) and she shares those precious messages with the reader: "Live each moment fully, then let it go"(p. 89), and "Dad, there is nothing but Life" (p. 63). Individuals who underwent a near-death experience (NDE) unanimously state that all events happen for a reason and are part of a bigger plan, confirming a vision Betty J.
Kovacs' husband had some days before he was killed in a car accident, "Everything will work out the way it has to be. Don't try to force things. Everything will be just as it has been intended, as we and you have chosen. Whatever happens will be for the benefit of everybody involved. Everything is on schedule" (p. 144). The author has the
great benefit of having put the issues of death and survival on a more holistic level, paralleling the individual destiny with the one of planet earth and humanity at large. "I still had a long journey ahead of me, but this vision was a jewel that reminded me again and again of the power of every single person's love, grief, and longing to create a better world for ourselves and our children" (p. 155). The Miracle of Death is about
liberation, love and creativity and will transform all those who have the courage to accept "inner experiences which have no validation in the outer world" (p. 169).

Evelyn Elsaesser-Valarino
Author of Talking with Angel about illness, death and survival
On the Other Side of Life
Co-author with Kenneth Ring of Lessons from the Light
www.Elsaesser-Valarino.com

I found this book helpful in dealing with my 15 year old son's death. Perhaps our life and death is all in the whole of how life is suppose to be. It gave me much to think about concerning life being eternal. I like it. Thanks to Betty Kovacs for telling her story.

Ruth C. Baker

I have never met Betty Kovacs, and I haven't read her book yet either, but I did attend a couple of lectures that were sponsored by the "Claremont Jung Society" in Claremont, California, I placed myself on their mailing list and received a regular mailing of their upcoming lectures and events.

In 1991 I received a mailing from the Claremont Jung Society which at first I thought would be a another list of their upcoming lectures. The brochure was titled "To The Friends Of The Claremont Jung Society." The brochure turned out to be a heartfelt personal dedication to the life and death of her son. This may seem to be a bit depressing, but it turned out to be a very touching celebration of a life, a mothers deep love, and the effect one persons life can have on us all.
I still have this brochure in case I ever forget how short a lifetime can be, and that a love felt, should always be a love expressed.

I'm a man, and I'm not ashamed to say that I cried after reading
her personal revelation of her love for her son. If we could all love each other this deep, I know this world would be much better for it. I know that her story changed me, and this change in me will have an effect on people that I interact with in the future. I may not ever see exactly what exactly my change is, or it's effect on others, but I can feel it in a deep emotional empathy towards people I love, and total strangers I meet.

Death is a very uncomfortable subject for most of us, and we really don't want to think about it much, or deal with it.
But doesn't the same thought hold true for the way we live our lives as well?

Something to think about!

Despite the popularity of shows such as "Crossing Over with John Edwards (no, not Kerry's running mate, who shows no signs of crossing over)," Western society seems to have forgotten Rainer Maria Rilke's belief that the afterlife and the living life interact, and as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry wrote in THE LITTLE PRINCE, "What is essential is invisible to the naked eye."

It took the death of 20-year-old Pisti (Hungarian for Istvan or Steven) Kovács in a car accident for his academic mother Dr. Betty "Kicsi" Kovács and father Istvan to put into perspective Western civilization's rejection of death and the institutions, including organized religion, that cause us to fear "a consummation devoutly to be wished," in Shakespeare's words. Interestingly, Dr. Kovacs argues against a dichotomy of thought that cut off the instinctive and dream knowledge as ruthlessly as Puritans arrested women for being witches. She condemns our society's dismissal of dreams and visions such as the prophetic symbolic dreams Dr. Kovács, Istvan and Pisti's beloved girlfriend Jenny experience before and after his death. The dream imagery guided Dr. Kovács toward stunning insights about the meaning of death. Simply put, Dr. Kovacs argues that there is nothing but life, and that Western civilization's ignorance of that truth has caused a breakdown in our society.

As we begin to search for understanding of the death and horror of September 11, Dr. Kovács loving insights, which offer an alternative to our worldview although not a prescription for transformation, deserve to be heard, so that a new creativity of thought and being can emerge.

When I asked to review The New Conspirators by Tom Sine I thought I was getting a critique of the emergent church and its related expressions. I had just finished a book that was extremely critical of reimagining the church, and I thought that I was getting another that might validate or modify the concerns raised in the first book.

I quickly discovered that Tom Sine is not only sympathetic to a new kind of church life but is a key player. This book is like a primer for the emerging, missional, mosaic and monastic movements. He introduces the dominant thoughts of each group and some of the most influential people. Those already immersed in this worldview may not find a lot that is new, but the material is so comprehensive that it is a valuable resource for those on either side of these issues.

This book is well-written, but it is not formulated as a defense of these movements. It does not delve deeply into doctrinal concerns and does not provide an in-depth Biblical basis for what is taking shape.

The focus is on encouraging people to adopt a lifestyle that is consistent with the manifestation of God's reign here on earth. Sine sees his book as an invitation to a simple but radical lifestyle when he writes, "This book is an invitation to a part of something `really, really small,' a quiet community that is destined to change our lives and God's world. We will particularly focus on what God is doing through the emergent, missional, mosaic and monastic streams of the church. But we are all invited to the join the creative edge by more fully discovering how God might use our mustard seeds to be a part of this conspiracy of compassion and hope."

In many ways this is a challenging read. Anyone reading this with an open mind will have to think hard about the repeated call to examine whether our way of doing church and living the Christian life has been shaped more by our consumer culture than we may have realized. It's ironic that in some areas these new forms of Christian expression seem to be more aware than their critics of how the church and the lives of Christians have been shaped by the world.

There is much here that is praiseworthy. The book is particularly strong in advocating a discipleship that encompasses our entire life rather than just segments of it. The author shows how believers can develop statements of calling to help them live more intentionally. The idea is to live in the reality that God's new order is here now and breaking into our world.

The author frequently touches on issues of global concern, and it's amazing how relevant it all is to our current situation. It's as if he was peeking into the present when he wrote this book. He accurately portrays some of the discouraging challenges that the church and the world face today. It's probably the most sobering part of the book.

Whether you view these new expressions of the church with suspicion or are an enthusiastic participant, this book is worth reading for the ideas and realities that are presented. Christians must grapple with these concepts and decide which way to go.

Hopefully, those leading these movements will be willing to engage their critics rather than just dismiss them. It's understandable that they have no desire to go about doing church as usual. But for the sake of truth, being accountable to other members of the body of Christ, and for the sake of those they lead, they should carefully weigh criticisms and be open to dialogue with their opponents.

On the other hand, it would be a mistake for critics to say these new expressions are all wrong. How many of us, and how many of our churches, are all right or all wrong? We might like to think we are right all or most of the time, but pride deceives us when that is our attitude.

Whether these movements are faithful in doctrine and practice to the standards of Scripture will remain a source of debate. How much better it would be if both sides could respectfully speak the truth in love. It shuts down communication when people resort to derogatory comments.

It might help if we look for what's good and right in each other's words. I wasn't looking to find fault, and I discovered truth worth considering.

I abolutely love it (and I believe God does as well) when believers who have been around for a while embrace, not criticize, what God is doing through a younger and emerging generation. Tom Sine, by his own admition, an aging author who is more modern than postmodern in style (pg. 28), is learning from a new generation, because he's not convinced that many older evangelical Christians got all the answers right. The questions he asks on pages 27 and 28 are right on - did we get our eschatology wrong? Did we get what it means to be a disciple wrong? Did we get what it means to be a steward wrong? Did we get what it means to be the church wrong? Did we get what it means to do mission wrong? His hope is "to provoke a serious conversation about what it means to follow Jesus in a changing world and a changing church" (pg. 28), and I think he succeeded in doing exactly that. Perhaps a bit redundant in just a few places, this is a well researched book that will make you think long and hard about what it means to be an effective follower of Christ in today's changing world.

In The New Conspirators Tom Sine, author of The Mustard Seed Conspiracy, discusses 4 movements occurring in today's Church; the monastic, mosaic, missional, and emerging. Sine does an excellent job describing the nuances and passions of each expression and it's an excellent book for people wondering what these new expressions of church are like.

He also does a great job of exploring some of the issues the Church and Christians need to think about in our changing world. As a futurist, much of Sine's job is to think and plan for what is ahead and he does a good job of exploring both challenges and opportunities.

I was very impressed with this book and Sine's humility in describing what faces our church and world. He is obviously a man of passion and loves to help prepare us for what lies ahead.

"In spite the fact that our world is changing at blinding speed and the church is going through some very tough times, God is still at work in ways that aren't always immediately apparent. For some reason, God seems to delight in conspiring through the small, insignificant and ordinary to renew the church and transform the world." - Tom Sine

This book was long due. Tom Sine spent 3+ years collecting stories, interviewing people, bugging friends and collecting the data that end up in this fantastic book.

You might have heard authors talk about books taking a life of their own, and that is true of this one. As a friend of Tom I was fortunate enough to be around while the book was taking shape. Originally it was meant to be a reincarnation of a his book The Mustard Seed Conspiracy, published in the mid-80's. But that would not hold up to the amazing stories of creativity and faith that Tom was listening. Tom later decided that this was meant to be an entire different book about the God's new conspirators in the here and now.

While many of the current books in the Christian circles cover one topic - Tom have ventured to explore what he calls in the book the 4 streams of renewal for the church and the world:
The Emerging Church
The Missional Church
New Monasticism
The Mosaic (Multi-Cultural) Church

Lots had and is written about the Emerging Church and Missional church. New Monasticism is a hot topic these days. So I am glad Tom included what the multi-cultural church is doing as a fresh and challenging expression in contemporary Christianity.

In this book Tom engage us in five conversations:

Taking the New Conspirators Seriously
Taking the Culture Seriously
Taking the Future of God Seriously
Taking the Turbulent Times Seriously
Taking our Imaginations Seriously

I think it is very important to point out that this is a book on a global expression of the new conspirators. The stories and examples does not come from the western hemisphere alone. This is not an American book. Though the book you'll read stories of ordinary people confronting the powers and living out God's Kingdom values in Africa, UK, Latin America, Australia, USA and all over the world.

tom sine is one of the best, encouraging, honest voices to those who are committed to living out their faith in Jesus in new, creative ways. this material highlights that change is coming whether we like it or not and we need to consider our response as Christ-followers. what i like about "the new conspirators" is that it values a diversity of backgrounds/streams/callings and really asks the question "how are we willing to participate in advancing the kingdom of God in and for this next generation?" tom has been around a long time and continues to challenge all of us to keep listening for God, work toward reconciliation & restoration, be present in our neighborhoods, our communities, and be willing to go into uncharted territory for the sake of others. as a pastor & consummate dreamer, i felt less alone in our ministry and challenged & encouraged to keep re-imagining the future.

All of the stories are good. But one in particular is more than excellent.
It's called: The Last Question. It blew my mind away when I first read it. I'm sure it'll do the same to you who ever you are.

The Ugly Little Boy is a good one as well. Please read the book and enjoy!

Any one of the nine short stories in this volume would make their author's career. By assembling them in one volume it becomes immediately apparent that Isaac Asimov was the undisputed master of modern science-fiction. Asimov's style is perfectly suited to the genre--his writing style is plain and deceptively simple. Yet for all the simplicity of the writing the ideas remain profound.

Asimov not only understood science and technology, he had a virtually prophetic vision of how science and technology would change the world. Our internet and cell phones would be no surprise to Asimov--he'd consider how far we have yet to go.

PROFESSION: A fascinating study of a future society where one's profession is dictated by a computer according to a person's talents and aptitudes. Ideas that no longer look entirely futuristic.

THE FEELING OF POWER: The guy can do math in his head! A wry take on the effects of computing power on personal computational ability.

THE DYING NIGHT: A first-rate mystery story told in the milieu of science fiction.

I'M IN MARSPORT WITHOUT HILDA: Like "The Dying Night" a story that demonstrates Asimov's ability to effortlessly cross genre boundaries.

THE GENTLE VULTURES: Watch out for the humans. Take any work by any modern science fiction author--Asimov has already been there and has often done the story better.

ALL THE TROUBLES IN THE WORLD: Artificial Intelligence issues that are still being debated today.

SPELL MY NAME WITH AN S: About the societal impact of near infinite computing power and governmental intrusion into scientific research.

THE LAST QUESTION: Wow. A mindblower. This one is easily among the best science-fiction short stories ever written. Asimov's take on intelligence and the future of the universe.

THE UGLY LITTLE BOY: Time travel and human experimentation are combined in this gem that teaches us that our essential humanity is more important than any scientific achievement.

Sci-fi grandmaster Isaac Asimov is at the top of his game in this collection of nine short stories. The first is "Profession", which speculates on the nature of education in a future where the Earth is the technological center of a civilization of hundreds of populated planets. The story revolves around young George Platen, and the very special profession for which he has been selected. Asimov goes beyond describing the technology for imparting information and makes points about the everyman's preference for physical over social science, the nature of the creative mind, and how society finds
ways to placate the uncreative, including an event at the future Olympics. More menacing is the "Feeling of Power" in which an unassuming computer programmer discovers the lost art of arithmetic in a future society where only computers know how to do mathematics. Asimov shows how this discovery moves up the bureaucratic chain until it reaches the ears of those who know
how to make use of it, but also makes a statement about scientific responsibility. "The Gentle Vultures" shows a non-competitive race that goes from planet to planet helping the survivors of nuclear catastrophe - until they encounter their first Cold War. And two of the very best tales deal with the burgeoning concept of artificial intelligence. "All the
Troubles of the World" shows a society that relies too heavily on its guiding computer, while "The Last Question" is a totally unique story dealing with a theosophical question and featuring a conclusion that is perhaps the greatest in all science fiction.

Although most of the stories were written in the 1950's, there's very little that's been dated by subsequent scientific discoveries, largely because this collection isn't about hard science so much as the relationships between far-reaching technologies and human society. The protagonists aren't
swashbuckling hero types, and they usually aren't even dedicated scientists single-mindedly pursuing knowledge; they're more likely to be "little guys", ordinary working people with jobs to do, who when faced with something they should be helpless to combat, still summon up the courage to act during that one brief moment when they can make a crucial difference. Probably the most dated feature of this collection is its attitude toward women, who are frequently absent entirely, or serve only in the most stereotypical of roles. Only the touchingly sentimental "The Ugly Little Boy" treats a woman as anything like a real human being. Even so, the power of Asimov's ideas
and the scope of his vision of the future have delighted readers for over half a century. If you haven't read these stories in other collections, you'll certainly want to catch them here.

Isaac Asimov, science fiction grandmaster and one of the absolute best writers in the field ever to wield a pen, wrote so much - and so much of high quality, at that - that it is difficult for a newcomer to his works to even know where to begin. This daunted me so much that, for a while, I dared not venture into Asimov's canon at all - doubtless, many others have done so as well. Now that I have finally started reading him, I regret that I didn't do it long ago. I urge - urge - you not to make the same mistake. Though Asimov wrote literally hundreds of short stories, this short and concise collection features some of his very best. Included in this collection are absolute masterpieces such as The Last Question (one of the Top 3 science fiction short stories of all-time, in my not-so-humble opinion); Profession (an excellent and very underrated story); The Dying Night (an excellent SF mystery that has been, alas, outdated by subsequent science, but is still enjoyable to the full); The Ugly Little Boy (a rare emotional moment for Asimov, and a great story at that - he called this his third favorite that he ever wrote); and Spell My Name With An "S" (a unique and clever story sprung from the lifelong trouble Asimov had with people adding an extra "S" to his surname.) This collection also includes several lighter pieces, which serve to fill space and lighten the mood. Very, very, very highly recommended to any fan of science fiction writing, an absolute classic and masterpiece of the genre.

Isaac Asimov may very well be the most prolific author in modern history. With over 500 books to his credit (506, to be exact...go to asimovonline.com for the full list, if you don't believe me!), covering just about every subject in the Dewey Decimal System (except philosophy, I believe), the man was a real marvel. One of these 500 volumes, "Nine Tomorrows," is a collection of short stories that Doc Ike first had published in various magazines during the period July '56 to November '58. As the title suggests, all nine tales deal with possible futures that may face mankind, and all feature the wit, erudition and clarity that are the hallmarks of every Asimov story/novel that I've ever read. The collection kicks off with the longest tale, "Profession," in which Asimov presents a 65th century when one's vocation is determined by a kind of computerized psychological profile, and in which youngsters compete in Olympics-style games for plum jobs on other planets. But what happens if it is deemed that you're cut out for nothing at all? That's what happens to young George Platen, in this consistently interesting tale. (Asimov does make one rare goof in this story: George should be 20, not 19, by the story's end. Has anyone else noticed this?) In "The Feeling of Power," Asimov tells us of a scientist who is actually capable of doing simple math problems on paper (gasp!), without the aid of a computer (!), and how the military minds of that distant century make use of these newfound skills. But the old ways of doing things lead to nothing but trouble, in this brilliantly cynical tale. Asimov has been called "the Agatha Christie of Science Fiction," and in "The Dying Night," a murder mystery of sorts, we see an early example of how he earned that title. A scientist lies dead, his papers on mass transference stolen, and three of his old school chums are suspect. This somewhat contrived story nonetheless leads to a satisfactory conclusion that most readers will never foresee. (The 1965 observations of Mercury, by the way, have dated the science in the tale, but this is certainly nothing that Asimov could have foreseen in July '56.) What is certainly the most humorous tale in the bunch comes next: "I'm in Marsport Without Hilda." Written in Heinlein-like, tough-guy prose, this tale concerns a Galactic Service agent who must determine which of three men is attempting to smuggle a powerful drug out of the eponymous port. This one really had me chuckling out loud, and winds up very amusingly indeed. A most entertaining tale. In "The Gentle Vultures," the author tells us that an alien race has been living on the Moon's far side for several decades, waiting for Earth's Cold War to blow up so that they might come to our aid...for a fee, of course. Asimov would have us believe that these folks are the source of the 1940s' and '50s' UFO's, and who knows...maybe he's right! Anyway, the interaction between the chimplike aliens and their kidnapped Earthling is very well done in this unique tale. In "All the Troubles of the World," a computer is responsible for not only caring for everyone on Earth, but also for predicting and preventing crimes. Is it possible that this 1958 story was inspired in part by P.K. Dick's "Minority Report," published two years before? Who knows? The story is very clever, though, and has a most touching ending. "Spell My Name With an S" shows how the smallest alteration in one's life can occasionally lead to great worldwide changes. A way-out surprise ending caps off another very clever Asimov short story. And then there's "The Last Question," in which Asimov theorizes on nothing less than the end of the universe 10 trillion years in the future...and what might happen after that. This is a truly mind-expanding short story that offers much food for thought in its 12 pages. The collection wraps up with perhaps my favorite story of the bunch, "The Ugly Little Boy." Here, a nurse is hired to take care of a 4-year-old Neanderthal tyke who has been plucked from the past by a scientific institute. The tale should be instructive to all those critics who have accused Asimov of being unable to depict convincing female characters. Nurse Fellowes is VERY well drawn, I think, with some psychological complexity and surprising maternal tendencies. The ending of this tale is nicely sentimental, and lingers long in the memory. Thus ends a really fine collection of stories from one of sci-fi's true masters. Trust me, you'll wish there were 20 tomorrows here, instead of just nine!

Richard Lambert went to England to fulfill his dead wife's wish, never knowing that he would be reunited with her, albeit 700 years in the past. Meanwhile, in 1214, a very brutal Lord Richard de Lambert wreaks havoc and terror along the Welsh border. His wife Eleanor, knows him for the monster he is and doesn't really care for him. Ambushed and mortally wounded, Lord Richard's body brought home to Eleanor, and he is pronounced dead. When the priest comes to perform last rites, he finds Richard still alive. Reluctantly, Eleanor tends to Richard and as he eventually begins to heal, she finds this Richard is completely different.

This new and improved Richard, the one from the future, who fell down and most likely died while exploring the medieval keep took the place of his namesake. Richard's mind is from the future, but his body is now that of a younger man (a body better than he ever had in the future). Eleanor is the picture of his beloved deceased wife, but looks at him with fear and much less than affection. Not knowing the language, old French Norman, he must find a way to communicate and win the love of his wife while surviving in a land that would label him possessed while he tried to acquire the skills of a warrior to survive. He is faced with insurmountable problems in order to disguise his true identity and convince Eleanor of his love, and to overcome the treachery that abounds in that period.

This is a fascinating book! It is fast paced and quite intriguing. I have always thought that the more believable time travels were such as this, where it is the soul transported, or the `essence' of the person rather than the body that gets catapulted back into time. Ms. Kelleher appears to have done a marvelous job of research in describing the historical elements of the time period. All lovers of time travel should look to acquire this book for their keeper shelves! Superb read!

This is probably one of the best time-travels I've ever read. It's rich with history, and the characters are completely believable. I thought the author did a particularly great job with the hero--I could really fall in love with him!

I hope they'll do another print run of this book for those of you who haven't read it yet -- it's a wonderful blending of accurate history with romance. It reminded me a bit of Twain's "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court," with the hero's modern sensibilities hitting up against a medieval environment. I adored the love story, and found it easy to suspend disbelief because the author did a great job of having the romance unfold naturally. Full of visceral detail, this book almost made me wish I could step in an English castle and vanish into the past.

Anne Kelleher knows how to draw a reader into a story. From the opening battle scene, I was completely hooked. Indeed, I had to read that paragraph several times - it is the most gruesome, and I imagine, the most realistic description of a medieval battle that I have ever read. There is a gritty reality to the entire narrative, the author gives the impression that she has studied this period in great detail and displays an admirable ability to transport her readers there. Her writing is clear, crisp, and evocative. It is a charming story without a hint of the corniness, so often found in this genre. I highly recommend this book to my friends - even to those who are wary of reading romance or time travel!

I would like to be able to share this book with more people. Any chance that the publisher will print more?

Did you ever wonder how in most time travel stories, the time-traveller always seems to fit in so seemlessly and effortlessly into their new environment? Did you ever wonder how time-travellers always seem to be able to speak the language of whatever environment they are thrust into? Did you ever wonder what it would really be like to find yourself in another time, where you didn't have a clue what anyone around you was saying?

In her latest novel, A ONCE AND FUTURE LOVE, Anne Kelleher has created a story which actually seems to take the reader into the past, with all of its uncomfortable realities, sights, sounds, smells, and customs.

Anne Kelleher's novel revolves around a middle-aged 20th century man named Richard Lambert, who after his wife passes away, travels to England only to fall to his death while exploring a medeival castle, and awakens in the body of a cruel, young ancestor in the 13th century. But unlike most time travel stories, Richard quickly realizes that he cannot speak the language, has no understanding of the customs, and has to deal with the reality of a 20th century man finding himself in a barbaric and primitve period with almost no understanding of the world around him. And to make things even worse, the body he finds himself in is severely wounded, near death, and it quickly becomes clear to him that everyone around him would rather see him dead that alive.

As in her previous three novels, Anne Kelleher demonstrates that her sense of the medeival world is detailed and acute. She forces Richard to deal with the harsh realities of the time period that he has found himself in, from the smells of the people around him and the ill tasting foods, to a 13th century wife who both fears and loathes him as a slave would feel towards its master.

The only convenience Anne Kelleher takes is to have Richard conveniently wounded in the neck long enough to slowly pick up the language and get some sense of bearings in his new world. But aside from this, her writing is extraordinary with almost poetic imagery and detail.

A ONCE AND FUTURE LOVE is clearly one of the best works of its type that has been written in modern literature. Kelleher's novel is far beyond just another time-travel romance.....rather, it is a story which truly makes the reader feel that they have visited the world that she has created, and by the end of the novel, makes the reader want to go back for even more of an absolutely unique experience.

I was curious what one would do to survive six months if the normal system broke down and contact with people and stores was not possible. This book helped in this research. However I consulted many sources and none answered some questions.

I loved the wood cookstove on page 37. I immediately wanted one

This book, even though geared for Y2K type expected disaster, still has many useful tips for emergency preparedness. I found the food prep and storage section particularly useful. Also it had an excellent section on waste disposal which is often overlooked in other emergency preparedness books. Small and portable enough to take with you.

The Y2K Survival Guide and Cookbook (Ecovillage, TN) by Dorothy R. and Albert K. Bates is not your usual recipe collection. With the savvy of environmentalists ad the frenzy of those expecting emergency, Dorothy and Albert Bates cover every area of survival and food preparation. Expecting the worst case scenario - rolling brownouts and total black outs, failed utility systems and water purification problems - this book provides natural alternatives: food storage, chlorine bleach to purify water, using wood stoves, building your own composting toilet, and gardening. There are even first aid and Morse code directions in the final pages. After coping with any Y2K calamities, it's time to cook. In between survival guidelines, the Bates' book is filled with hearty recipes reminiscent of campfire food. As computers buzz blank, you can enjoy split pea soup from melted icicles, marmalades from sun-dried fruit, or shiitake joes from home-grown mushrooms. Even though The Y2K Survival Guide and Cookbook is intended for the millennium-minded cook, it is an eccentric volume any eco-conscious chef should add to their library.

In addition to the recipes and food tips that could keep a diverse group of survivors happy for years (who wants plain ol' Chili gets that, and who prefers dishes like Rice Noodle Pad Thai will be satisfied also), there is an excellent overview of food storage techniques that includes charts I've never before seen on the shelf life of edibles, from an individually wrapped apple to nuts in airtight packages.

While Dorothy and Albert have given us lists, lists, and more lists to follow and yet others to create lists of our own, throughout their little treasure of a book is a taste of the loving, compassionate sensibility without which any attempt to survive is bound to be futile.

What kind of legacy are you leaving behind? We all think about that from time to time. Your Leadership Legacy is a book that can help you not only think it through but plan for success. This book is primarily focused on your business legacy but the framework can be applied to your family and community legacy as well.

The first step is to acknowledge that you probably haven't given much thought to your legacy but that you want to do so starting now. The authors lead you through the process of drafting your desired legacy statement and how to seek feedback on it. This latter piece is critical and probably one of the hardest things to do; it's like baring your soul, so be sure you pick the right person/people to give you an honest assessment.

The authors list six different types of leadership roles. Thinking of myself and others that I've worked with over the years, I'd say it's pretty hard to shoehorn someone into just one of these roles. That said, most people probably lean more towards one even if they have tendencies towards two or more.

This isn't one of those books you can just read, put on a shelf and forget about. If you're truly serious about creating a lasting legacy you'll need to refer to this book every so often in the years ahead; it's a good way to check in on your progress and make any necessary adjustments.

Since this book is a potential long-term resource, I'd like to see the authors enhance the companion website. They have the opportunity to put tools, checklists and other items up there to serve as a living online resource center for all their readers. More importantly, it would be great if they'd set up space to host legacy framework documents and worksheets for their readers. That way the information would all be in one (online) location, so you wouldn't have to worry about creating a folder or storing it locally; this approach would be very attractive since the whole process is so long-term and things could easily be misplaced or forgotten about.

This book definitely has a lot to offer, but you need to be committed to the long-term process to get the most out of it.

This short book offers a core recommendation: think about your legacy long before your retirement. Plan it and begin to create it now. Many executives do not begin to consider their legacies until their working lives are nearly done. This wastes a great opportunity. By thinking ahead and planning for the sort of legacy you would like to leave, you can make it much more probable that the legacy you actually do leave will match your aspirations. Legacies do not happen accidentally. They are the products of years of effort. We recommend this framework for considering your legacy. Authors Robert M. Galford and Regina Fazio Maruca include a structured series of action steps to help you get started on the path of legacy creation, and they provide numerous entertaining and illustrative anecdotes to help point the way. They don't dwell on asking if a manager who is preoccupied with legacy creation is hampered in making risky decisions, and they don't examine the mini-fad in legacy thinking. However, they do clearly tell you how to look forward, act with deliberation, and pick yourself up and start again if one legacy gets destroyed and you must build another.

Thinking about the legacy you're going to leave behind is a lot like the other things we tend to put off such as leaving a will or expressing our ideas about our own funeral.

These latter things are a great help to those left behind. The idea of a working legacy is another matter. Developing and keeping in mind a legacy that you'd like to leave behind at work can well help you in making the day to day decisions. By knowing where you want to go, you can keep your decisions consistent, you can evaluate decisions based on some clear understanding of how that decision will effect the big picture rather than just the decision of the moment.

You would expect a book with this kind of title to be aimed at the CEO level, or perhaps just below. And to an extent it is, but it is also applicable to 'first leaders' who can begin to use these techniques immediately. After all, the real job of the first leader is to develop his/her leadership skills so they can move on to eventually reach the CEO position.

Your Leadership Legacy should be a wake-up call for every leader - new and experienced. Most leaders pay little - if any - attention to the legacy they are building and leaving in the organizations in which they work. This book should cause them to think twice about their legacy.

Presented in an easy-to-read, example-filled, practical format, Your Leadership Legacy will guide you though the critical components of understanding your unintended leadership impact, writing your legacy statement, putting the statement through the acid test, and putting it into action.

This book provides every leader with the knowledge he or she needs to create a positive, enduring legacy - starting immediately. The sooner you read it, the better!

Regardless of what you do as a leader, you *will* leave a legacy behind. Rather than wait until there's not much left you can do about it, Robert M. Galford and Regina Fazio Maruca make the case for managing your legacy now in the book Your Leadership Legacy: Why Looking Toward the Future Will Make You a Better Leader Today.

Contents:
Part 1 - Making Leadership Last: Building a Legacy
Part 2 - Impact and Duration: What Kind of Impact Are You Having?; What Role Are You Playing?; Your Intentional Legacy; Is Your Legacy Designed To Last?; Are You Doing the Right Thing?
Part 3 - Judgment: The Need for Judgment; Legacies and the Responsibilities of Leadership
Notes; Index; About the Authors

In many ways, this is reminiscent of Stephen Covey's "Begin With The End In Mind". You start out thinking about how you would like to be perceived and remembered, and then start taking actions to make that happen. The authors define "legacy" as how others approach work and life as a result of having worked for you. They also advocate for looking at "legacy thinking" early on in your career, so that your goals can shape your day-to-day interactions with those you lead. Through a series of exercises, they walk you through assessing your current influence on those around you, identifying the type of role you play in the organization (as well as how that will affect your legacy), and then what steps you need to put in place to ensure that you are creating the legacy you intended. It's not necessarily a comfortable process, as the odds are that you'll have to acknowledge that there are aspects of your leadership style that may be effective to the organization but devastating to those around you. But ultimately, you'll leave some sort of personal signature on your charges. You might as well make sure it's one you'd *want* to be remembered for.

While written specifically for leaders, it's not hard to extrapolate the principles to your personal life. Think of your role as a leader of your family or of some organization where you volunteer your time and efforts. These areas also affect your legacy, and in many ways it's a legacy that's more personal and important than a corporate one. Even if you choose not to follow through all the exercises put forth here (and I recommend you do), just the thought of actively managing how others will remember you will start to move you down a road that not many travel in time to have much of an impact...

A nuanced narrative with gorgeous description, Twain-ish witticisms, intelligent insights, and a cast and core concept that has (to my knowledge) never been done anywhere else. This is a "bizarre" book, yes, but not one that drowns itself in its own weirdness but instead acts like a ship on the sea of fiction possibilities, and therefore offers readers the chance traverse such waters in style. It's as breezy as it is daunting, and in any event a book hard to regret spending time with. Highly recommended for those who enjoy Terry Gilliam films, Seuss and Gorey-esque themes, and a wholly fable sense of logic.

This is one of those books that has the amazing ability to pull you into a masterfully crafted, beautifully vivid world and takes you on one of the craziest adventures ever put to paper.

There is a delight in this story that just isn't found in many works. It will always have a place on my bookshelf.

Riggs is the little boy in all of us... afraid of nothing, willing to do almost anything at the drop of a tall stovepipe hat.

Knowing Josh for nearly 2 decades, I wasn't stunned to see this story come from him. I was jubilant. His moment to shine has arrived, and his true place in the world is realized. Anyone can learn how to monkey with a computer, but it takes true genius like his to put pen to paper and end up with a masterpiece.

Periphery Stowe is a challenge to all authors: Don't pander to your audience, but instead teach them. Don't give them what they expect. Instead, give them what they need.


In the end, the world is just as large as the imagination of a little boy.

I recommend this to everyone of all ages and reading levels. I fell in love with this book after the first page. I was amazed with Wagner's writing style. His poetic descriptions make the characters and the world he writes them into come alive. After reading this book I immediately went back to the beginning and started reading it all over again. This is one of those special books I will read and recommend to everyone again and again.

Characters brimming with personality, and locations beyond imagination, it's hard not to get lost in the imagination of Periphery Stowe right along with Riggs.
Though at times showing evidence of being a first novel, it hardly detracts from the beatiful prose and obvious skill the author has for writing.
spread it around to your neighbors, your kids, your neighbors kids, all will enjoy.
I'm just wondering what tricks Wagner has up his sleeve for his next book..