Guarantee Books

Whether you know Don personally or not you will be touched by this story of inner strenghth and love of not only a person but a family that is continually tested. All against a backdrop of pro hockey that many Canadian people think is the ultimate dream life. Don's story not only speaks for the thousands of players that came close enough to the dream to taste it, only to have the dream dissolve but he also exposes the simple fact that not everybody whom reaches the dream is going on to live the charmed life. After you read Don's story you will be inspired, as well, never take any achievement in life for granted. Every day is truly a blessing. That is the one guarantee.

The book combines sound marketing principles with personal anecdotes, sports quotes and literary references to make the book an enjoyable read.

I'm his son. I give it 5 stars because of that! I know it says Ruth Lebed-Rofes(that's my mom), but I am Lex Rofes, so read this book, because it is dedicated to me, and you've seen my review of it.

Anti-gun politicians and journalists like to ignore or ridicule an embarrassing little fact: gun ownership is protected by the Constitution. The Founders knew that governments with unarmed subjects have been the source of wanton slaughter and unrestrained evil. Our own age of Hitler and Stalin and hundreds of millions of the defenseless slaughtered bear out their timeless wisdom. Halbrook explains beautifully their thinking, and the debates that went on in formulating the protection of the right to keep and bear arms.

Over the past year, I have read 7 of the "Little Book of common sense Investing", and this is by far, the one that makes the most sense. All of the other books describe how to pick winning stocks, value stocks, diversification, and other "tricks" to winning in the market (and by my experiences, none of them work). This book, talks about "Index Funds" that track the broad markets like the S&P 500, and how safe and economical that strategy is in the long run.

I agree 100% with the author's work, especially for the average 401k investor who doesn't have time to "play the market". Especially when you factor in the fees associated with buying and selling individual stocks, and using other Funds that have high management fees associated with them.

Summary (To save you time):
If you want to retire early and financially wealthy you'll go a long way to beat this book. your first investment should be this book and then the markets. John Bogel provides a clear and concise text on how to make a good (If unexciting) return.
This book is accessible, factually based, informative and small enough to read quickly. There is no heavy analysis or huge amount of brain power required.


Review:
What makes a good investing book? It always seems to be the promise of riches and excitement. Well good luck most of the exciting stock picking methods lead to bankrupcy.
What should make a good investing book? Hows about something that can actually work?
Please bear in mind at this point that if a stock picking method cannot be rationaly explained as to why it works the chances are its garabge. One method that was well explained is Value Investing. Unfortuantely these days you are up against computers that can analyse all world wide stock markets in real time - chances are you won't win.

In a market of hype about the "Latest" and "Greatest" stock picking method John Bogel has written a book based on common sense. Inevitably all investors in a market must on average gain returns equal to the market, less costs (Forget these at your peril).
In recent years Wall Street has made $400 Billion per year in those costs (Thats right they won and you lost before your money even went into stocks). Hows about keeping that money and still investing and getting a fair (Average) share of returns? Sound boring? Well the best way isn't always the most exciting.

Through humble arithmatic John Bogel convinces you of the value and sense in a low cost index tracking fund.
Each chapter finishes whith people who endorse indexing. The likes of Warren E. Buffet, Charlie Munger, Charles Schwab, etc (Who all know more about investing than I ever will) endorse indexing. Thats good enough for me.

As a quick explanation of the aritmetic (I made these numbers up, they're not from the book, but they are mathematically accurate) and why it should convince you:
Assume the stock market returns 10% per year, you have 100% portfolio turnover per year, 2% costs (Very low) and 40% taxes (which is about right in GB where I live). If you have a system to beat the markets you need a return of 10% or more as well. So 10% return + 2% costs + 40% taxes =
(10 + 2) / 0.6 = 20%. Well good luck! Your system needs to double market returns. Hint: One reason Warren Buffet is able to beat the markets is he has very low portfolio turnover (Thus avoiding many taxes).

So are there down sides to this book?
Well Yes, there always are. Inevitable John Bogel uses the Vanguard S&P 500 index tracker (From his own company) as an example. He mentions others but not very often. So it sometimes feels a little like a sales exercise in places. However never so much that it detracts from the point. And I am a cynic who is always looking to disprove (Or even disapprove) of what I read.
Also indexing doesn't offer you very much excitment. However I can counter that with I want to retire early, not late (And broke) in life knowing I had fun in the markets.
Lastly I haven't read all the books out there and there may well be better for me yet to discover. As far as I personally have read this book tops the list though.


Resummary:
Not exciting but so well worth the money, unlike most of the garbage out there. As for most stock picking methods please remember you are taking on the best and brightest on Wall Street and their computers. They still lost huge regularly (In recent years lets all remember 2000-1, 2003, 2007-8, each time we witnessed in the region of a 40% crash in the markets). If they fail why can you or I do better? I'll stick to boredom and a fair return.

As a final endorsement of what John Bogel writes about, when companies make investments that they have to all but guarantee returns on (Pensions etc), they invest in the manner described in this book. They just don't advertise it, but if you want a good safe return guess what...

So as not to leave anyone in suspense, according to the author the "only way to guarantee your fair share of stock market returns" as it says in the title of the book is to invest in index funds that mirror the broad market, such as an S&P 500 fund. Plain and simple.

Basically, Mr. Bogle lays out his argument for that viewpoint in several relatively short, easy-to-understand chapters that each focus on a separate aspect as to why index funds are the vehicle of choice for the long term investor. He provides the reader with supporting historical data, information about fees, income tax effects, quotes from other respected investors, etc., to build a strong case for index funds. The effect of what you may think are slight differences in fund fees and charges from one fund to another over time are quite shocking.

Overall, this is a well-written, organized, intelligent book that is also thankfully concise, and I thought it was well worth reading. I can see there is a lot of wisdom for sticking with index funds for the long run.

An excellent book on investing. Straightforward form people whom know what they are talking about. And quoting from other good references as well.

As others have mentioned, this book could be distilled down to "The only way to succeed at long term investing is to buy low-fee mutual funds that track the whole stock market". The entire rest of the book is the justification, and it's pretty hard to argue with any of it. Sure, you can beat the market sometimes, but it can't last.

As a beginning investor, I found the book informative - it helps you think about stocks and the market in ways that aren't immediately obvious to the uninformed.

Me thinks Mr. Crowel had a hand in those 5 star reviews.

Who does this guy think he is kidding? Tom Crowel sells insurance to lower middle class people in Indiana and washes the used cars they drive, and he thinks he is Donald Trump. This book is simple, because the author is. His story of a "humble childhood" I'm not buying, and neither should you. Old insurance men are usually cheats personally and in business, and boy does he fit the stereotype from reading this GARBAGE!

If you have 20 years experience in sales, then this isn't the book for you. But if you're like me and you're somewhat new to sales, a bit intimidated by the idea of trying to turn a stranger into a customer, and looking for sales techniques that are both ethical and effective, then give this book a try. The straightforward techniques gave me the confidence to get started selling right away. This book is a handy and yes, simple, reference for each step in the sales process.

According to Thomas Ray Crowel, selling doesn't have to be so complicated. In his book, "Simple Selling", Crowel offers his fellow salespeople a "a new perspective on a very old profession." Crowel explains, "The selling process consists of many things, some of which can be taught, and some which can't." However, sales success is not as unattainable as many may believe. Crowel's straightforward book serves up a wealth of practical sales tips and career guidance. Tapping into real-life examples from his own lenghty sales career, Crowel presents truly simple selling methods that could be valuable to both sales rookies and hardened veterans.

Crowel's title is somewhat misleading in that possessing and applying "common sense" cannot "guarantee success." Ignore the title and focus on the contents. There is nothing new in this book. However, it is well-organized, well-written, and does indeed focus on basics. My guess (only a guess) is that experienced sales managers and salespersons will find little (if anything) in this book they do not already know. However, reading and then re-reading it will have value to them because it is often helpful to be reminded of what one already knows. The material is organized within ten Sections, each of which ends with a Summary of key points. The book's greatest value will be for those now thinking about a career in sales or for those only recently embarked on that career. They are urged to re-read the book (or at least the Summaries) from time to time as they proceed.

Today does Matter and this book is an awesome reminder that there are a just a hand full of ideas if practiced daily that can greatly enhance our life. The information contained here is great schedule to adopt for our daily agenda. It's written in clear concise language and is easily put to use, it needs only your discipline and effort.

This book includes exercises to teach you and help you to maximise your day. Twelve daily habits to really put you firmly on the road to successful thinking.

Reading these books are like listening to music written by the same artist, after a while, it all starts to sound the same. If you have read one, you have read them all! Rehashed material!

Maxwell has done it again, but in a new way! Maxwell has written some of the classics on leadership and living, and he takes a fresh and basic look at life in this book. While he still uses his principle driven style of instruction, he strips away a layer and lets us into his life. In "Today Matters" Maxwell gives us insight into his "daily dozen." These are his twelve decisions made throughout his life for various reasons and the practices he associates with them. Phenomenal place to start for anyone looking to bring more discipline to their life or ministry. I consider myself an advanced "daily practice" guy and I found this book exciting and invigorating. His perspective on why today is so important and a plethora of other special insights make this book a must read. Dave Tilma

You only have today. And what you do (or don't do) today bears much significance. Today Matters is practical and well written, giving insights from someone who has lived many significant, meaningful days. If you're looking for a book that helps guide you into making every day count, John Maxwell's Today Matters is a must read.

In depth about his life, but fortunately was only about 200 pages.

Dante was the poet-historian of Florence. He associated himself with his native city. He was an ardent personality. In Florence there was a surging economy and seven guilds. City walls were extended to form a new circuit completed in 1333.

Virgil's AENEID was the poem Dante admired most. Dante died in 1321 in Ravenna and is buried there. In 1373 Boccaccio offered a series of lectures on Dante's life and work. Dante's father died in the early 1280's. Brunetto Latini became a role model. Dante provides a portrait of the old master in his COMEDY.

Dante had divergent impulses. Love and death are counter themes in VITA NUOVA. Following Beatrice's death, Dante became immersed in THE CONSOLATION OF PHILOSOPHY by Boethius describing a soul finding comfort in the vision of God. Dante was gifted in discourse. He led a private and family life during the years he held public office.

Florentine discord began in family feuding between the Donatis and the Cerchis. Dante became a literary man, exalting the welfare of the commune over the warfare of the two sides. Around 1301 Dante incurred the Pope's displeasure. Subsequently the poet suffered banishment and the threat of the imposition of the death sentence. First he lived in Verona, like Florence a daughter of Rome.

Next Dante went to Padua, briefly, and then to Bologna. He was on his own. He identified fourteen separate Italian dialects in one of his books. He wrote much of the INFERNO on the run. He settled in Verona from 1312 to 1318. The PURGATORIO was written there and the PARADISIO begun. There is a tone in the former work of hope refreshed.

In 1318 Dante moved to Ravenna. The Christian humanism of Thomas Aquinas appealed to him. Both men hold the idea that grace perfects nature. Examination of what he truly believed found Dante a changed man. Peter, James, and John represent faith, hope, and love. The PARADISIO was completed in 1320.

T.S. Eliot's mind was infested with Dante.

The Peguin Lives series thrives on its clever and sometimes surprising pairings of subjects and writers, often non-specialists with a more personal take on the life. Giving Dante to a Yale English professor isn't the most inspired choice, though Lewis's expertise is mainly American lit. The book shows the marks of several pleasant vacations in Tuscany, with brief pen portraits of the various sites and geographical features that shaped Dante's world providing most of the color in an otherwise dry march through the facts of his life. Lewis often circles back to people or scenes described earlier in the work, which is either a tribute to Dante's own narrative style or a sign of slack editing. If you don't know something about Dante already, this isn't the book to convince you he's one of the world's great writers, or to help explain why. But for a quick tourist map of a complex place and time, it's a short, effective read.

Prior to this biography on Dante, R. W. B. Lewis had established himself as one of the leading authorities on Edith Wharton and had also written a book about Florence. Although he is not widely acknowledged as a Dante scholar, this brief volume is testimony to his obvious love for Florence's greatest poet. Unlike many brief biographies of great literary figures, this is a remarkably balanced account of Dante's life and career. Given the strictures on what can be covered in a small number of pages, other biographers of other writers often focus on an individual's life to the near exclusion of all else, or on the greater cultural context of their work, or on a discussion of the writings, ignoring the writer's world and life. Lewis strikes a marvelous balance between explaining the historical-especially the political-context for Dante's life, in detailing the significant biographical moments that informed his career (including most of what we know about his limited encounters with Beatrice), and the development of his art. Lewis's skill in refusing to neglect any significant aspect of Dante's life and work is laudable.

Lewis's narrative progresses chronologically on a number of parallel levels. He reverts on several occasions to Dante's genealogy, on the political situation in Florence in the conflict between the Ghibellines (who favored the claims of the Holy Roman Emperor in Europe) and the Guelphs (who favored the Pope and later split into the Black and White Guelphs, Dante being associated with the latter), Dante's platonic adoration of Beatrice, the development of Dante's poetry, Dante's role in the government of Florence, his eventual banishment from Florence, and the composition and content of his COMEDY. I was especially encouraged by the number of theological figures who were crucial to Dante and essential for understanding the theological structure of the COMEDY.

I do have a couple of minor criticisms. One is that Lewis isn't always as sharp in his exposition as he clearly is capable of being. There are also some curiosities, such as his comments near the end identifying Robert Penn Warren as "the most complete man of letters of our time," a good if not great writer whom I believe will be largely forgotten in as little as twenty-five years (one wonders if Warren and Lewis were close friends). There is an annotated biography, but most of the secondary works Lewis discusses are either out of print or not readily available, while many key contemporary texts dealing with Dante are omitted, such as Freccero's THE POETICS OF CONVERSION. And how could any discussion of translations omit Singleton's, which is easily one of the highpoints of Dante scholarship in the past half century? Two other small complaints: no index and no chronology of Dante's life. My own feeling is that there is never justification for not including an index in an academic book; the omission sharply reduces the book's usability. Even in a short biography a chronology is useful, allowing one to make rapid comparisons between the various events in a writer's life and their work.

Nonetheless, for most readers of Dante in English, this brief biography will serve as a superb introduction to both Dante's life and his work.

This is one of several volumes in the Penguin Lives Series, each of which written by a distinguished author in her or his own right. Each provides a concise but remarkably comprehensive biography of its subject in combination with a penetrating analysis of the significance of that subject's life and career. I think this is a brilliant concept. My only regret is that even an abbreviated index is not provided. Those who wish to learn more about the given subject are directed to other sources.

When preparing to review various volumes in this series, I have struggled with determining what would be of greatest interest and assistance to those who read my reviews. Finally I decided that a few brief excerpts and then some concluding comments of my own would be appropriate.

On Dante's masterpiece: "The Commedia, to which the adjective Divina was affixed two centuries afterward, is, all things considered, the greatest single poem ever written; and in one perspective, as has been said, it is autobiographical: the journey of a man to find himself and make himself after having been cruelly mistreated in his homeland. It is also a rhythmic exploration of the entire cultural world Dante had inherited: classical, pre-Christian, Christian, medieval, Tuscan, and emphatically Florentine. And it is the long poetic tribute to Beatrice Portinari which Dante promised, at the end of the Vita Nuova." (pages 12 and 13)

On Dante's response to Beatrice's death: He "did more than write an occasional poem of memorial grief; he put together the work to which he gave the title La Vita Nuova di Dante Alighieri. It was essentially an act of compilation, probably begun in 1293 and finished two years later. Dante drew up[ a narrative account of his relationship with Beatrice Portinari, from his first sight of her at the May Day party in 1274 to her death sixteen years later, sprinkling through it the poems -- canzones, sonnets, a ballad -- written to enshrine each successive moment." (page 59)

On progression in the Paradiso: In it, "Dante ascends; he does not climb, as in the Purgatorio, but, as he is constantly remarking, is propelled upward with the speed of an arrow. He is swept up through the lower planets -- the Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Saturn; into the Fixed Stars; then upwards to the Primum Mobile, when come all distinctions of space and time, of 'where' and 'when,' through itself beyond space and time; to the Empyrean, the actual and eternal dwelling-place of the Three-in-One God, of the angels and the saints, of the community of the blessed." (page 170)

In the concluding portion of his biography, Lewis briefly but eloquently suggests the ubiquitous and energizing presence of Dante in English and American literature, notably in the works of Shelley, Byron, Robert Browning, Rossetti, Emerson, Pound, Eliot, and Warren. According to Lewis, that presence "sparkles and sings and smiles like one of the spirits in Paradise." The same can be said of Lewis' writing style which, in combination with his erudition, enables the modern reader to gain a greater appreciation of someone who lived more than 600 years ago but whose Comedy is as contemporary as tomorrow's sunrise.

As is also true of the other volumes in the "Penguin Lives" series, this one provides all of the essential historical and biographical information but its greatest strength lies in the extended commentary, in this instance by R.W.B. Lewis. He also includes a brief but sufficient "Bibliographical Notes" section for those who wish to learn more about Dante. I hope these brief excerpts encourage those who read this review to read Lewis' biography. It is indeed a brilliant achievement.

Very poorly written. There are more quotes from other authors than original writing. He may be writing under the guise of being a christian writer, his bigotry and hate are shine through all too clearly - definitely not true christian values.

John Maxwell's work is always fresh,interesting and easy to apply to your daily life. We use his books and DVDs in our office library and for Lunch and Learn opportunities for our employees.

A friend loaned me this book by John Maxwell and after the first chapter, I put it down to go buy my own copy! I knew I needed to highlight the great, practical advice on how to live a balanced life that makes a difference. Leaders often forget to "feed themselves" and this book is definitely great food for thought! Maxwell's Daily Dozen will help you get a handle on your day to day living and in the process help you become a more effective and efficient leader. I have used his tenents in several motivational speeches in the last few months and in fact, used his book as a "speakers" gift at a recent conference. I highly recommend this book and the "plan for improvement" included in the last chapter!

I recently attended a function that John Maxwell happened to be speaking at. He is a very engaging and insightful presenter. I had to pick up a copy of one of his books to hear more about what this guy had to say.

This is a well written and easy read. Anyone that reads this will come away with something. The book is well structured and I think it should be required reading for college students.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by all of the life's pressures, this book will aid in prioritizing. John Maxwell lays out some very useful techniques for managing the clutter in your life. More importantly, this book suggests that "the things you do today, will be realized tomorrow." Just buy it.

If you are casting about - seeking a more reflective way to spend your time, Today Matters is a helpful guide. Maxwell combines a road map for goal-setting along with reflective fodder for how to approach your daily life. If you are seeking to make meaningful changes on how you spend your minutes or just need an anchor to help steady the waves of time, Today Matters is well worth the read.

Maxwell sets Today Matters up in a workbook fashion. Each chapter discusses a theme with significant real life examples followed with thought provoking questions and exercises. You can read the book straight through or use it as a text to foster change.

The book starts with an assessment of your current life habits benchmarking how attuned the reader is to the meaningful moments in his/her life. Maxwell provides inspiration and insight on how other individuals "make each day a masterpiece." While none of this is new to the seasoned professional who tries to cram everything into a busy life, the nuance comes from the approach and the habit changing concepts.

Maxwell adds creativity and thinking to the daily infrastructure. Americans, especially, are caught in "the doing" that some of the thinking and creating becomes, well, flabby. Maxwell's first chapter is titled, "Today Often Falls to Pieces - What is the Missing Piece?" While this title/question frames the search the book attempts to construct, it also points to the need to create a careful structure in our every day living so that we have the scaffolding that prevents meaningless muddles.

Each book chapter provides a specific area of focus that will lead to certain outcomes. Maxwell peppers the chapters with reinforcing quotes helping to mark the central tenet of the chapter. The chapter titles in their own rite serve as a prescriptive primer.

If you are into books about the college experience of college life for males, you don't want to miss this one. Join Horne and his friends as they try to make it through school, and find love. I didn't want it to end

Hey take it from me an up coming author my self, that Stun has officially broke the mold bring a fresh new flavor that no one can reproduce. his Characters were so real to me, reminded me when I was in college in fact, Horne Resembles my charecter and My situation with my Best friend. Hey if you are a true reader you got to feel this Story, you got to feel, this romantic comedy that will come out and tag at your heart, buy this book, youll laugh until you cry! I look forward to his other writings.

This book couldn't be closer to reality!! Shirl takes Horne on a rollercoaster of emotions, not always good or bad, but always ending with a surprise! Everyone has known people like Horne's friends, which makes each experience they endure all the more believable...if your into works by Eric Jerome Dickey, you'll enjoy S. Easley's style as well.

I've read this book and it brought me back to a lot of
different things that I had gone thru in college.
This is a book I would recommend to to new readers.

No Guarantees the one you love is going to love you back .

This is certainly a true example how the one you love may not love you back. Such was the case with Horne and Shirl . He seemed to be to good of a guy to be going after someone that did not love him. I felt it was so plain and very obvious how Shirl felt about him . This was a very entertaining and sometimes passionate story showing us how love can hurt . You could actually feel the pain he endured at times. Yes, it is true when it comes to life, love and relationships there are NO Guarantees.