Book Description
(Book Jacket Status: Jacketed)
Naguib Mahfouz’s magnificent epic trilogy of colonial Egypt appears here in one volume for the first time. The Nobel Prize—winning writer’s masterwork is the engrossing story of a Muslim family in Cairo during Britain’s occupation of Egypt in the early decades of the twentieth century.
The novels of The Cairo Trilogy trace three generations of the family of tyrannical patriarch Al-Sayyid Ahmad Abd al-Jawad, who rules his household with a strict hand while living a secret life of self-indulgence. Palace Walk introduces us to his gentle, oppressed wife, Amina, his cloistered daughters, Aisha and Khadija, and his three sons–the tragic and idealistic Fahmy, the dissolute hedonist Yasin, and the soul-searching intellectual Kamal. Al-Sayyid Ahmad’s rebellious children struggle to move beyond his domination in Palace of Desire, as the world around them opens to the currents of modernity and political and domestic turmoil brought by the 1920s. Sugar Street brings Mahfouz’s vivid tapestry of an evolving Egypt to a dramatic climax as the aging patriarch sees one grandson become a Communist, one a Muslim fundamentalist, and one the lover of a powerful politician.
Throughout the trilogy, the family’s trials mirror those of their turbulent country during the years spanning the two World Wars, as change comes to a society that has resisted it for centuries. Filled with compelling drama, earthy humor, and remarkable insight, The Cairo Trilogy is the achievement of a master storyteller.
Customer Reviews:
A Window on Another Culture.......2007-09-12
Naguib Mahfouz's "The Cairo Trilogy" is a family saga set against the Cairo of the first half of the twentieth century, from approximately 1917 to the mid 1940s. It was (like Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings") originally written as a single novel, but published as a trilogy for commercial reasons. The three volumes into which it is divided, however, do read like self-contained novels in their own right. The first, "Palace Walk", covers the late 1910s, the second "Palace of Desire" covers the mid to late 1920s and the third, "Sugar Street", chronicles the events of the thirties and forties. The titles of each part are taken from three streets in Cairo in which the characters live.
The main character is the paterfamilias Ahmad Abd al-Jawad, a well-to-do Cairo merchant who leads a strange double life. To his family he is a devout Muslim, a stern husband and father who imposes a strict discipline. His wife Amina is virtually confined to the family home; when she courts her husband's displeasure by daring to go out to visit, a few streets away, the shrine of an Islamic saint whom she reveres, the incident nearly ends in divorce. Yet there is another side to Ahmad. Away from his family he frequents houses of ill repute where he enjoys the company of women (he keeps several mistresses), drinking alcohol and other pleasures forbidden to him by his religion. We also meet Ahmad's sons- the irresponsible playboy Yasin, Fahmy, an idealistic Wafdist (Egyptian nationalist) who loses his life during a demonstration against British rule, and the young Kamal- and his daughters Khadija and Aisha, who are also very different in character. Aisha is beautiful and gentle like her mother, but is fated to have a tragic life. Khadija is less attractive, sharp-nosed and sharp-tongued, and initially worries about finding a husband. In the end, however, she makes as good a marriage as her sister (they marry a pair of brothers).
In "Palace of Desire" Kamal, who was only a mischievous schoolboy in "Palace Walk", starts to emerge as a major character. He falls passionately in love with Aida, the beautiful sister of a friend, but the relationship is destined to end unhappily as her wealthy, aristocratic parents do not regard the schoolmaster son of a shopkeeper as their social equal. Disappointed by the failure of this relationship, Kamal, once as idealistic as his older brother Fahmy, becomes a disillusioned cynic, losing both his idealism and his Islamic faith. He becomes obsessed with the study of philosophy, which he believes will enable him to understand the meaning of life, but this goal eludes him; all philosophy seems to teach him is that such an understanding is unattainable.
Kamal remains an important character in the third volume, "Sugar Street"; he has the chance to marry Aida's equally beautiful younger sister Budur, but does not do so, largely because he has grown used to a bachelor existence and fears that, if married, he would have less time for the philosophical problems which have come to obsess him. His father, however, by now elderly and in poor health, fades into the background in this book. The third generation, in the shape of Abd al-Jawad's grandsons, starts to play an important role. Yasin's son Ridwan is a homosexual who becomes the lover of an influential politician. (This must have been a daring theme in the Egypt of the 1950s when the book was written). Khadija's sons Ahmad and Abd al-Munim are committed followers of two very different ideologies, the first becoming a Communist and the second a Muslim fundamentalist.
Of these two ideologies, Mahfouz tends to devote more time to Communism. In 1957, the future of Egypt and the wider Arab world may well have seemed to consist of a choice between Communism and the secular nationalism espoused by the likes of President Nasser in real life and Fahmy and Kamal in the novel. Mahfouz, however, was to have a long life, dying last year at the age of 95, and was doubtless surprised to see the resurgence of religious fundamentalism during his lifetime, while Communism never won widespread support in the Muslim world and eventually withered even in its Soviet and Eastern European strongholds. Had Mahfouz been able to predict these developments, he might well have paid more attention to Abd al-Munim and his ideas.
One of the themes of the trilogy is the conflicts and contrasts between the Egyptian values and those of the West, especially Egypt's attempts to free itself from the influence of Britain (which remained pervasive even after the country had officially become independent in 1932). Westernised characters such as Aida and her family and contrasted with more conservative ones such as Abd al-Jawad. (Even he, however, becomes more liberal later in life, even allowing his wife to go out freely). It is notable, however, that apart from Abd al-Munim the most politically nationalistic characters are all strongly influenced by European thought. The philosophers who most influence Kamal are Westerners such as Bergson, Russell and Schopenhauer, and the Communism which inspires Ahmad was originally a theory developed by a German sitting in the British Museum in the mid -19th century. I felt that Mahfouz was perhaps too generous towards Communism; Ahmad and his equally radical girlfriend Sawsan are portrayed as attractively idealistic, and there is no attempt to contrast their idealism with the brutality of the Soviet regime which they uncritically support. ("Sugar Street" is set during the years when the Stalinist terror was at its height).
Reviewers have compared Mahfouz to a number of major writers; the two most often mentioned seem to be Tolstoy and Dickens. Both comparisons seem to me to be apt. The Egyptian writer shares with Tolstoy the ability to integrate political and philosophical themes into his work without seeming to preach and without interrupting the flow of his narrative. The tormented Kamal is a fascinating character even though, outwardly, little happens to him; the action is all internal as we watch the development of his character and his ideas. With Dickens he shares the ability to conjure up a vivid sense of a particular time and place, sharing with us the sights, sounds and smells of early 20th century Cairo just as the English writer did with those of 19th century London. With both writers he shares the ability to create a large cast of characters we can identify with and care about, however different their circumstances might be to our own. For those like me who are not familiar with Egypt or the Arabic-speaking world in general, "The Cairo Trilogy" acts like a window enabling us to see something of that culture.
Intricate and unforgettable.......2007-08-13
As it happened, I began reading "Palace Walk" as I boarded the plane that was taking me to Cairo on my second visit. The timing was impeccable, and the live city below my hotel windows provided a living breathing illustration to the rich tapestry of the story, thus making it even more unforgettable. In today's world, this book must be read and re-read by anyone who thinks, who questions current events, who struggles to understand and wishes to form his/her own opinions.
Great book for a long trip.......2007-06-13
Naguib Mahfouz relates a distant time in a far away place with simple sentences and rich details. He relates the breadth of human experience equally well, offering depth and understanding of women as well as men. For the first time I feel that I have some understanding of the daily life of Muslim men and women.
If you want to laugh, read this book. If you want to cry, read this book. If you want a page turner, read this book. The characters will feel like your own family before you're done.
Long, intense and worth every minute.......2007-06-12
I received this book as a Christmas present and when I saw the sheer size of it, I'll admit, I was frightened. For anyone who feels the same, don't let the fact that you could use this a weight put you off from reading it. You will be losing out on a magnificent work.
Mahfouz's trilogy pulled me into a world I know very little of and made me feel at home. I felt the fear the rest of the family did when Al-Sayyid Ahmad Abd al-Jawad walked down the halls, banging his cane ahead of him. I read with anger and frustration, watching Yasin's transformation, or lack there of, and Kamal's.
Amina's growth and Aisha's destruction were an equally intriguing read. The fact that Aisha is unable to join her family and is forced to continue falling apart was a hard pill for me to swallow and ended up making me cry by the end of the novel.
Mahfouz is definitely a master storyteller who creates characters in one of the most realistic ways I have ever read. I will certainly be reading The Cairo Trilogy again.
A Treasure.......2007-05-11
This three-generation saga of a decaying Cairo family will totally envelop you. Mahfouz creates a complete and detailed world of characters, places, atmospheres and emotions that you will be reluctant to leave. Among the overarching themes is the contrast between the public face we present to society, and our private conduct and inner reality, a problem of universal significance. These books are a treasure and warrant every superlative.
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
|
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
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History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
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ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Average customer rating:
- Solid ideas and good food for thought
- Highly Recommended!
- Solid advice, but a bit shallow
- Not Quite Deep Enough
- A great book, and you'll benefit even if you aren't a CEO
|
Why CEO's Fail: The 11 Behaviors That Can Derail Your Climb to the Top and How to Manage Them
David L., PhD Dotlich ,
Peter C., PhD Cairo ,
PhD, David L. Dotlich , and
PhD, Peter C. Cairo
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass
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Binding: Hardcover
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Amazon.com
Take a walk on the dark side of leadership with executive coaches David Dotlich and Peter Cairo. Why CEOs Failsucceeds in tracking the downfall of careers and companies by defining eleven "derailers"--the deeply ingrained personality traits that shape leadership behavior. Among them: melodrama, aloofness, volatility, perfectionism, eccentricity and eagerness to please.
The authors alternate high profile cases (the arrogance of Enron CEO Jeff Skilling, the melodrama of Vivendi Universals' Jean-Marie Messier, Rick Thoman's aloofness at Xerox) with compelling case examples from their coaching practice. Each chapter is a gem, illuminating one derailer in concrete and nuanced terms with red warning flags and strategies for damage control. One exceptional chapter explores "mischievousness" in rule breaking leaders including Bill Clinton and Mattel's Barbie Maven, Jill Barad.
Derailing behaviors can't be eliminated, the authors warn, because they are the shadow of our strengths. Consider, for example, how charisma can cross the line to melodrama or how decisiveness becomes arrogance. CEOs and leaders-in-waiting must map the stress that triggers derailers and engage in unflinching self-reflection by asking, "What would my worst critics say about my behavior?" Because they counsel leaders to ask these tough and essential questions, Dotlich and Cairo suggest that we approach our leadership failures as research. It's a brilliant idea. --Barbara Mackoff
Book Description
If any of the following behaviors sound like you or someone you work with, beware! In Why CEOs Fail, David L. Dotlich and Peter C. Cairo describe the most common characteristics of derailed top executives and how you can avoid them:
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Arrogance—you think that you're right, and everyone else is wrong.
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Melodrama—you need to be the center of attention.
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Volatility—you're subject to mood swings.
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Excessive Caution—you're afraid to make decisions.
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Habitual Distrust—you focus on the negatives.
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Aloofness —you're disengaged and disconnected.
- Mischievousness—you believe that rules are made to be broken.
-
Eccentricity—you try to be different just for the sake of it.
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Passive Resistance—what you say is not what you really believe.
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Perfectionism—you get the little things right and the big things wrong.
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Eagerness to Please—you try to win the popularity contest.
Customer Reviews:
Solid ideas and good food for thought.......2005-12-25
As experienced CEO coaches, Dotlich and Cairo have distilled their experience into an interesting premise: Business leaders fail primarily from internal factors, not external ones. Using a combination of high profile cases and examples from their own practice, they front the theory that 11 personality traits (referred to as "derailers") are primarily responsible for the demise of promising or previously successful leaders.
Virtually all of these traits have a positive aspect, and often are initially responsible for a leader's upward progression. It is when they are overplayed that they tend to extend into weakness - with potentially drastic effect. The primary culprits seem to be reaction to stressful situations, loss of situational awareness, or an unwillingness to participate in meaningful self-appraisal.
Chapter format is consistent, with one derailer covered in each and a final chapter on why CEOs succeed. Interspersed with the case studies are questions and example behaviors to determine "Have you crossed the line?" signs and symptoms, and recommended courses of action.
I found the book to be a sound primer, but written at a superficial level. The case studies are thin and there is a constant undertone that suggests the reader will benefit from personal coaching. Still, for anyone in a leadership capacity with an interest in examining his or her behavioral tendencies, it can be a powerful first step in the process. The book is a fast first read and contains enough meat to hold attention on a more detailed second pass.
Highly Recommended!.......2005-04-13
If you wonder why all those superstar CEOs suddenly veered off course, executive coaches David L. Dotlich and Peter C. Cairo offer an engaging work of psychoanalysis to answer your question. Leadership failures can result from 11 character traits, either deep-seated personality faults or qualities that once were beneficial but became problematic. The authors offer recognizable case studies and specific advice to bolster their case that these flaws derail leaders. The culprit characteristics can seem a bit general, an inevitable concern in a book seeking simple explanations for human folly. We recommend this easy-to-digest volume to leaders and those who endure them. This is just the ticket for bosses who want to address their possible personality pitfalls before they commit career suicide.
Solid advice, but a bit shallow.......2004-07-19
Why CEOs Fail identifies 11 traits that all have one thing in commen. These traits, in moderation, can help managers be successful. But, taken to an extreme, can destroy a career.
The authors provide examples of people suffering from each derailer and then provide diagnostic tools to help you identify whether you suffer from the derailer and advice to help you manage the derailers that you do have.
The descriptions and the advice are excellent, but the treatment is a little shallow. So, if your derailer manifests itself in some way other than the 'classic' pattern you may not recognize it from the information in the text. And, if you decide you have a derailer, you may need to look elsewhere for more detailed advice about how to work through it.
Overall though, the book was a fun, thought-provoking read. It caused me to think a bit about my weaknesses as a manager and I had a chance to see what derailers I could recognize in others!
Not Quite Deep Enough.......2004-06-29
The basis of the book is very important to every leader of a department, division or company. The idea of looking at what traits may derail your career is critical. The only fault I found with the book was that the authors were a bit thin on real life examples. If they worked with the hundreds (possibly thousands) of executives that they claimed they worked with, they should have had a lot more examples and deeper ones at that. Real life examples provide insights to the reader and the "ah ha" moments when you recognize the described derailer. This book just did not provide enough of those and so you wonder, are these really derailers?
A great book, and you'll benefit even if you aren't a CEO.......2003-10-12
Like some other reviewers, I'm not a CEO. I have often thought of starting my own business, though, and was drawn to the title of this book with that in mind. This book is written much better than most business books: it cuts to the chase, gives good examples, and doesn't go on and on about simple concepts as if you were too stupid to get it the first time. It breaks failure down to 11 mentalities that derail CEOs in their rise to (or fall from) the top. This is great advice for ANY manager or executive, and a quick read too. I take much of this advice to heart when I manage others in my current job. A must read!
Book Description
Chances are, if you're a manager in most any organization today, coaching has become an integral part of your responsibilities. And there's no more effective approach to coaching than Action Coaching. Developed by the authors through their work with Levi Strauss, Colgate, Bank of America, Arthur Andersen and other leading companies, Action Coaching is the only coaching process that dramatically increases an individual's personal performance in direct correlation with established organizational goals. Here, Dotlich and Cairo share the same advice, techniques, and tools they've used to transform hundreds of managers and executives into first-rate coaches. Moreover, they clearly demonstrate how Action Coaching can be used as a strategy for achieving organizational goals by aligning personal improvement with a company's vision for the future.
Customer Reviews:
An excellent overview.......2006-01-27
The need to cope with change, inside and outside of the organization, and the employee's need for personal development should be brought into alignment, say these founding partners of CDR International, a consulting firm that specializes in executive coaching. Action coaching is a process that fosters self-awareness, and guides personal development so that an employee's personal development goals are congruent with the goals of the organization.
Action coaching differs from traditional coaching in three ways:
1. The employee's relationship to the coach is a business relationship rather than a therapist-patient relationship.
2. Action coaches tailor their strategies to the individual and the strategies are geared towards performance breakthroughs, where traditional coaching tends to be unfocused and generalized.
3. Where traditional coaching focuses on personal insights, Action coaching translates insights into actions with organizational results.
There are eight steps to implementing Action coaching in your organization:
1. Determine what needs to happen and in what context.
2. Establish trust and mutual expectations. Make sure the employee understands the purpose of the coaching as well as the steps in the process.
3. Contract with the employee for results. There should be a formal written and oral agreement with the employee about the purpose of the coaching and specific goals to achieve.
4. Collect and communicate feedback.
5. Translate talk into action. Use your feedback to enact change. Review and revise goals when needed. Make sure the goals are still in alignment with the business needs of the organization. Set deadlines.
6. Support the employee in taking big steps.
7. Foster reflection about actions.
8. Evaluate both individual and organizational progress.
Action Coaching.......2005-10-12
I have more than thirty years of successful experience using models of leadership, management, and supervision in training classrooms, and I have passionately absorbed the ideas and content in approximately 400 leadership-related texts during the last 20 years.
Action Coaching is to coaching effectiveness what The Supervisor's Survival Kit by Elwood Chapman is to first-line/project lead effectiveness. I've used and advocated the latter book for thirty five years.
Action Coaching, and I haven't finished it yet, "begins with the end in mind". The authors define Action Coaching as "a process that fosters self-awareness, resulting in the motivation and the guidance to change in ways that meet organizational needs." The approach is directly linked to organizational goals and an action plan (both of which are dynamic). There are processes to involve the executive's boss in the process. (Good luck, you say, with getting executives to devote time to such a process!?) Feedback on progress toward important goals and leadership development is valued and seen by the CEO.
The book is loaded with tips, tools, exhibits, questions, processes, and ideas for helping a manager become a more effective coach, even without the support of the organization. The authors of Action Coaching offer forty helpful, easy- to- understand exhibits that: serve as diagnostic tools, offer suggestions on handling difficult situations, provide checklists of to-do's, feature evaluation and role-playing tools, etc.
Wouldn't it be helpful to have a resource where the processes and approach had been successfully field tested in corporations with real executives, with real CEO's who had extremely important strategic challenges ahead of them, and where traditionalist leadership paradigms and behaviors made it impossible to accomplish the articulated goals? That is precisely what these authors did in developing and refining their processes and approaches?
What the Action Coaching is not is a lock-step guide, prescribing every important step and nuance along the way toward helping executive leaders grow. It is a particularly interesting, believable, and seemingly sound approach based on the experiences that they have had with major organizations. The process with individuals and with organizations is one that enables both to help themselves, becoming less dependent upon the external coaches, while building coaching expertise internally.
This is the best book of coaching I have ever read, and I've read quite a few.
Bill Parker
Bill Parker Associates
A Leadership Development Resource
Richmond, VA
PS This is the fourth book I have read by David Dotlich and his colleagues within the past six months. I'd recommend every one of them: Action Learning (1998), Unnatural Leadership (2004), and Leadership Passages (2004). Put together, the series represents a longitudinal action-research case study. Readers of Unnatural Leadership can appreciate the need for the ten new leadership instincts when they remember that they grew from strategic goals and leadership development experiences with corporate clients/partners.
A Solid Effort!.......2001-02-17
David L. Dotlich and Peter C. Cairo discuss how to use action coaching to improve individual effectiveness and boost your overall organization. Their approach begins with fostering self-awareness and then uses this awareness to motivate change that the organization needs. Action coaching involves a series of steps and some specific coaching tools. While this book provides a fairly well-organized and well-written introduction to the concept, it covers familiar training and development ground. If you are a beginner in this area, the repetition of steps and processes will come in handy. Experienced trainers will find the coaching tools quite familiar and the assessment questions fairly obvious. Thus, we at getAbstract.com recommend this book for those who are new to training and development, or for employees who are considering getting coached.
Coaching in Context.......2000-09-07
Dotlich and Cairo have put together a fine and practical book that really helps focus coaching skills towards results. They give a very specific approach to developing an action plan to produce results from coaching. In fact they address four kinds of results - self-awareness results, performance improvement results, performance breakthroughs and finally full-blown transformations. Maybe most important for modern organizations is the anal;ysis of coaching skills in the context of the organizational needs, not just individual developmental needs. We develop and support people because our organization needs their current compliment of skills enhanced with other skills or it needs to rehabilitate a counterproductive approach. Although much of their work is not necesarily new, I believe they have packaged it to be more usable and accesible. I would highly recommend this book for someone looking for a chance to evaluate their own coaching skills, develop an improvement action plan and maintain high levels of motivation to improve their performance. Who know, maybe even transform their performance!
Book Description
In Dark Star Safari the wittily observant and endearingly irascible Paul Theroux takes readers the length of Africa by rattletrap bus, dugout canoe, cattle truck, armed convoy, ferry, and train. In the course of his epic and enlightening journey, he endures danger, delay, and dismaying circumstances. Gauging the state of affairs, he talks to Africans, aid workers, missionaries, and tourists. What results is an insightful meditation on the history, politics, and beauty of Africa and its people, and "a vivid portrayal of the secret sweetness, the hidden vitality, and the long-patient hope that lies just beneath the surface" (Rocky Mountain News). In a new postscript, Theroux recounts the dramatic events of a return to Africa to visit Zimbabwe.
Customer Reviews:
Theroux Travels to Africa.......2007-08-26
Paul Theroux is, for me, an interesting and opinionated writer. His books are always tainted by his pessimism about the basic goodness n humanity. However, he is also masterful at evoking place and culture. Dark Star Safari is a prime example of both the good and the bad in Theroux's writing.
His pessimism is most pronounced in his hatred for the aid workers. Although I very much agree with his point that dependence on aid has the capacity to make people lazy and unresourceful, I very much believe that most of the people who try to deliver this aid and support the local population do so for very good and important reasons. These aid workers are not all scammers. After all Theroux looks back nostalgically at his time as a Peace Corp volunteer - and the Peace Corp was a means of delivering aid.
On the positive side, most of us have never visited eastern Africa and, most probably, never will. Theroux's writings help us to visit these places from the comfort of our own homes, which is a pure luxury. His descriptions, although sometimes a bit drawn out, are always vivid and bring the places to life for the reader.
Overall, this book is very typical of Theroux's writings. Its strengths are magnificent, but its weaknesses dull the edges and leave the reader somewhat dissatisfied.
Not your average Theroux book..........2007-08-09
Paul Theroux comes to most of his travel books as an outsider. Granted, he's an observant outsider, he does his homework and he reports well (though I find him a bit curmudgeonly or condescending at times), but he's still an outsider. His views of China, Patagonia or wherever are those of a Yank who hasn't lived there.
This book is different. He lived in Africa for several years in the 60s. He has feelings for it that one can't get from a brief visit, no matter how much homework one does. He knows it, if not as an African, about as well as a non-African can. He does things on returning that a visitor (even one with his sense of adventure) wouldn't do, meets people a visitor wouldn't meet, sees things that a visitor wouldn't see, and reacts to those things in ways a visitor wouldn't react. This makes the book more personal than any of his others. To me, this also made it more enjoyable.
I don't know if the pessimism he conveys is justified. His first stay was during an exciting time. The continent was emerging from the long colonial period and felt itself, perhaps justifiably, as full of potential. It was also during his own 20s, when anyone sees the world as full of potential. By comparison, any return trip today would have to be something of a letdown, since the reality of anything forty years later seldom matches what one felt its potential to be. It is hard to tell how much of his letdown is for this reason, how much for objective factors. Never having visited Africa myself (other than Morocco, briefly), I'm not in a position to make that call.
I'd recommend this book to Theroux fans, to armchair travelers who enjoy a good read, and to potential African travelers who can take his negativism with a grain of salt so it doesn't discourage them from the trip.
Solid travel piece, made better by experience.......2007-07-13
It was said of the French royalty that they had forgotten nothing and learned nothing. Well, Theroux the fresh-faced idealist returns to Africa, but some of the sheen is off. Rather like the Michael Palin slog through Africa in "Pole-to-Pole", you get the impression that Theroux suffers through this one a bit. Not the best vacation itinerary for gentlemen of a certain age, but he writes on manfully and the little stories and strange encounters alone make this worthwhile. Also interesting - the moment he visits the old school he taught at, now mostly reclaimed by the jungle, and when he almost blows up at the nouveau riche locals who suggest his American children should come out and volunteer to help, something their own children would never dream of doing.
I like this. Evocative cover, too.
Addressing issues too often ignored.......2007-05-23
In Harvard Professor David Landes book "The Wealth and Poverty of Nations" he points out that a trillion dollars in Aid has been spent in Africa over a couple of decades with little or less to see for it, in Zaire (Congo) the miles of road has shrunk, from 22,000 miles to 1500. To understand this it is necessary to read Paul Theroux book "Dark Star Safari". Theroux makes the case that many Africans have become addicted to Aid. Like other addicts, getting them off their addiction may mean some tough cold turkey, making the NGOs leave. The very important question Theroux poses for countries wishing to alleviate the suffering of this continent rich in natural resources is what will it take for Africans to realize that they have to help themselves, that may mean throwing out the corrupt elites who are kept in power indirectly by Aid workers keeping the poor on the threshold of survival.
Provocative book, a pastiche of impressions well worth reading and reflecting on.The Wealth and Poverty of Nations: Why Some Are So Rich and Some So Poor
An Excellent Read .......2007-04-20
Paul Theroux takes a sharp knife to political correctness and white Range Rover world of the NGOs with his simple and stark observations. He packs the reader in his luggage and takes her on a hot, lovely, frustrating and all together human journey. I've used this book as a travel guide to plan my trip for safety, interest and patience.
Book Description
Conflicting loyalties. Terminations. A changing culture. New competitive threats. These phrases describe the challenges facing many of today's most successful businesses. They also describe the challenges facing another profitable organization-television's Soprano family.
As the boss of the family, Tony Soprano knows the difficulties of being an effective leader in an environment of change, complexity, and crisis. He has experienced the struggle to find and keep talent. And as for loyalty fuhgetaboutit! When it comes to business, you need more than loyalty if you're gonna avoid swimming with the fishes. Today's environment can leave even the most efficient boss feeling powerless, unable to make decisions or implement them. Tony Soprano knows that if you wanna get things done, you can't continue to lead as you have in the past.
Author Debbie Himsel has been exposed to virtually every leadership theory and development methodology. In &I, she makes a clear case that Tony Soprano is the Jack Welch of his particular industry-that his management style brilliantly illuminates a NEW set of leadership principles, and that underbosses around the world can learn a great deal from Tony, flaws and all. Himsel shares these principles with readers, using Tony as a catalyst for understanding the leadership tools and techniques that are necessary to whack the competition and win in business. Chapter highlights include:
* Who's the Boss: A Simple, Clear Structure.
* The Strategic Goal Is to Make Money.
* The War for Talent.
* Understanding Your Deeper Need to Kill the Competition.
* Sit-Downs and Other Conflict Management Tools.
* Coaching the Poobahs and the Goombahs.
* Give It to My Face: Receiving Feedback.
* Charisma: More Than a Flashy Tie and a Cheap Cigar.
* If Your Organization Were Part of the Mob.
Customer Reviews:
I Got A Book You Cannot Refuse to Read!.......2006-09-14
Want an interesting and entertaining way to get a lot of business management points across to your employees; or perhaps you are looking for something to enhance your own leadership style? May I recommend that you get a copy a very knowledgeable but slightly unorthodox business book called "Leadership Sopranos Style: How To Become A More Effective Boss". It is not your typical dry and humorless regurgitations of old management mantras. This book, with tongue-in-check at times, explores the world of management through the leadership style of that fictional TV anti-hero Tony Soprano. That should be enough to shake up the old school managers but once you relate to what the author Deborrah Himsel is really saying about his style you will find a real personal vehicle for leadership growth.
This book in no way endorses the mob, whacking managers who fail to achieve but does point out the advantages of looking people "right in the eye" and letting them know what it is that you expect from them. It also takes a look at Tony's approach to conflict resolutions with sit down meetings. Once you realize that most all of these references to Tony is most just a cleaver and entertaining metaphor to make a point you will not only enjoy the book but also learn something valuable from it.
Himsel's book gives the reader many newer and sometimes edgy insights to the workplace and those you need to work with. She does a craftsman's job of presenting strategy and management leadership principles. The book is charming and a pleasure to read even if you are not going to be a big Fortune 500 executive. You also do not have to have been fan of the TV show, or in fact, had ever even seen it to make the leadership connections.
The book receives the American Authors Association's top book rating of FIVE STARS!
The American Authors Association's- Best Business Book 2006
Finally, a Leadership Metaphor With Substance.......2004-12-13
Too many leadership books are so into becoming the next popular "quick airplane read" that they lack substance and espouse only one or two key ideas that are then endlessly reinforced in a story. Here, instead, a witty leadership development practitioner who knows what she's talking about (Himsel was on the INSIDE of several corporations versus some academic ivory tower) tells it like it is, reveals deeper layers of management know-how, and uses a "hook" that will most readers. The book covers more than the mere leadership surface, providing both reminders and new insights about leadership strategy, org charts, feedback and coaching, mediating conflicts between direct reports, staying on top of your professional development, the whole nine yards. For those that are tempted to dismiss the book because you are not a Sopranos watcher or because you don't emulate the leadership style of a mob boss, you'd be making a mistake. Himsel immediately and deftly provides perspective on how her metaphor works, that she is not endorsing Tony's violent or illegal behavior, and that there are lessons to be learned from the leadership principles by which the anti-hero operates without buying into his moral principles. The pop icon gangster vehicle simply lets her teach leadership theory and practice through an edu-taining, edgy, and humorous writing style. And there are many practical tactics offerred. For example, her detailing of Tony's "sit-downs" with key players shows how the savvy leader keeps tabs on the dynamics on his team and becomes active when intra-team or intra-team conflicts jeopardize the vibrancy of the business. If you're not a Sopranos regular, not the worry! Himsel sufficiently clues in non-Sopranos fans about the background of her many vivid examples from the series so that the vehicle works . Check out this book or you might find yourself swimming with the fishes!!!
Tony's Coattails Show Some Wear.......2004-10-07
A great idea: get an immediately recognizable character in memorable situations to illustrate leadership principles.
Where does it break down? When you have to stretch to place thoughts into the fictional character's head that might not be there. When you have to overlook inconsistencies and deviations from your theory in use. When you have to apply cute language to charm the reader into ignoring a terrible truth: you're saying the same old stuff with new language.
Tony studied Sun-Tzu - you should do the same...if your opponent is choleric, irritate him.
You wanna promotion? Fuggedaboutit!.......2004-08-31
This book was really an enjoyable read. Even though I've never watched the show, I was able to get leadership examples from Tony Soprano's point of view in a humorous format. You might ask yourself, "a self-help book based on Tony Soprano?" But Deborrah Himsel pulls this off effectively. She's quick to point out that Tony is not an ideal role model, but that he is an effective leader. She adeptly translates his style into more typical layman's terms, and a lot of it makes sense. For example, if your vendor is not doing what he should for your business, you can't go out and whack the VP, but you can use some conflict resolution skills, such as a sit-down, to work things out.
So, this book uses examples from the Sopranos show to create business scenarios that might translate to one's own working life. The samples also provide a contrast of what not to do. This creates a multi-viewed approach that makes sense, and is less dry or rah-rah than typical business leadership books.
Take a look at the case studies and see if Tony can help you become a more effective boss.
Well Executed Book Employing a Poor Concept.......2004-07-29
I graded this book five stars for implementation of the book's concept (how to improve your leadership using Tony Soprano as an example) and one star for the book's concept of using the fictional Tony Soprano as the only example of good leadership. The result is a three star rating.
Before reading this book, I had only seen about 12 minutes of a single Sopranos show. As a result, I did not know much about what would be in the book. Ms. Himsel has done a fine job of recapitulating many of the key themes and relationships in the series, so I felt like I understood the context that she was talking about even though I had not seen the show.
To me, the book is at its best when it moves away from Tony Soprano and speaks about the problems that many of us have such as not controlling our emotions, not communicating clearly or enough, not being considerate enough of other peoples' situations, and wanting to attract and build talent. I enjoyed the sections where there were questions where the reader could examine her- or himself to see what barriers need to be overcome. Some of the ones in the beginning were a little too obvious, but the later ones were more helpful.
I think if I had already seen all of the shows, the repetition of the material about the show would have seemed excessive. But as someone who hadn't seen the shows, I was grateful for all of the repetition I received.
Regardless of her fine craftsmanship, I was disappointed to read about a fictional person whose life is filled with doing unspeakable deeds cited as a management example. Ms. Himsel recognizes that limitation and makes it clear that she is not endorsing anything about Tony Soprano's morality. Well, the context leaves one feeling a little scummy in my reading experience. I don't really want to learn from an example like Tony Soprano.
Everything he does has the potential threat of violence or death behind it, which makes any observations about what he is doing a little suspect in terms of how much anyone else can apply it. Also, as I understand it, the Soprano operation is a relatively small business (although very profitable) and I'm not sure how well its lessons scale up into a larger enterprise.
I was particularly disappointed when I learned that Ms. Himsel works for Ms. Andrea Jung, one of the most effective CEOs in the world. Why couldn't Ms. Himsel have written about leadership, the Andrea Jung way? Now, that's a book I would love to read and share.
Book Description
In language that vividly evokes the lush summers of Cairo and the stark beauty of the Arabian desert, Leila Ahmed tells a moving tale of her Egyptian childhood growing up in a rich tradition of Islamic women and describes how she eventually came to terms with her identity as a feminist living in America.
As a young woman in Cairo in the 1940s and '50s, Ahmed witnessed some of the major transformations of this century--the end of British colonialism, the creation of Israel, the rise of Arab nationalism, and the breakdown of Egypt's once multireligious society. Amid the turmoil, she searched to define herself--and to see how the world defined her--as a woman, a Muslim, an Egyptian, and an Arab. In this memoir, she poignantly reflects upon issues of language, race, and nationality, while unveiling the hidden world of women's Islam. Ahmed's story will be an inspiration to anyone who has ever struggled to define their own cultural identity.
An Egyptian woman's "richly insightful account of the inner conflicts of a generation coming of age during and after the collapse of European imperialism." --The New York Times Book Review
Customer Reviews:
Leila Ahmed is a great writer!.......2006-12-26
I enjoyed very much reading this book. The level of description used is capable of transporting you to Leila's birthplace and enjoy her life's journey. This book reads like a novel even though it is a biography. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the Pre- and Post-Nasser era in Egypt and how it affected the Egyptian middle class of the time. Another book about Egypt during that era I would recommend is Samia Serag El-din's The Cairo House. Happy reading!
I relate to this book on so many levels...........2005-01-26
I wasn't sure what I would find when I chose this book. But Dr. Ahmed's thoughts on creating her identity and the societal forces that crafted her upbringing are astounding. Her tale of defining herself as a woman, an Egyptian, an Arab, a Muslim, and an American resonated very deeply with me.....
An eye opening account of what it means to be a Muslim.......2003-12-17
I thought that this book was amazing. I've read many books about Islam but I think that this book actually gave me a sense of what it means to be a Muslim. Sometimes when reading about religions we often only get an overview of the practices and beliefs of a religion but we rarely hear from believers of a particular religion and how they incorporate the beliefs of their religion into their everyday lives. For me, it was also interesting to read about Egypt during the 40's and 50's because it was something I have never studied before. It was interesting to see the religious diversity in Eygpt and how quickly that all changed with the rise of Nasser. Another thing I had never realized that Egyptians practically had the title Arab forced upon them, but most would never otherwise identify themselves as Arab. I think this book really exposed me to a world and a lifestyle that I had never known existed, and I think this is a must read for anyone who is open to seeing a new perspective on their world.
A Border Passage.......2003-12-15
A Border Passage by Leila Ahmed is an interesting book and definitely worth your time. Within this book Ahmed confront issues of colonialism and differences between the Islam of women and that of men. The story is written as an autobiography as Ahmed recounts her childhood. The juxtaposition of the Egypt and England, where she goes to school, illuminates considerations of post-colonial loss of identity. A book that I strongly recommend for anyone interested in learning more about Islam.
Compelling and Beautiful.......2003-05-06
A lyrical autobiography of several passages from her own
childhood to adulthood, passages to other countries and
passages within Egypt's history. Dr Ahmed's book provided
a revelation regarding the Islam of men, something we've
recently learned to fear, and the Islam of women, something
that as a Christian I could wrap my arms around. Her
discussion about the beauty of an aural tradition and how
the human voice breaths life into the words by adding vowels
was worth re-reading several times. I am not only recommending
this book to friends who simply love to read a good book
but to a study group that is looking for sources of
information on what it means to be Muslim.
Book Description
Considered by many to be Mahfouz's best novel, Midaq Alley centers around the residents of one of the hustling, teeming back alleys of Cairo. No other novel so vividly evokes the sights and sounds of the city. The universality and timelessness of this book cannot be denied.
Customer Reviews:
Social Entrapment.......2007-05-29
Readers will sense the "darkness" that is "enclosed like a trap" as they turn the pages of Midaq Alley. Mahfouz exploits his characters through vivid descriptions. For instance, Uncle Kamil's "legs" that are "like tree trunks" and "his behind" is "rounded like the dome of a mosque" not only puts a physical image to the man, but posits him into the Muslim culture. Mahfouz is clever in his depiction of Midaq Alley, a small part of Old Cairo. He juxtaposes the reality of the British occupation in the bigger picture while focusing on the narrative of simple, middle-class Egyptians who struggle for their identity and hope for survival. Hamida desperately tries to escape her cage, claiming that "everyone in this alley is half dead;" however, she is met with a similar fate when she emerges into the outside world, entrapped into a prison of prostitution. Her "yearning for power centered on her love for money" and she pays the ultimate price with her dignity in "the streets of illicit love." The real genius of Naguib Mahfouz is evident in this novel; it invites the reader into a culture that depicts a social reality of mid 20th century Cairo.
A moving novel.......2007-02-01
In this novel, Mr Mahfouz chose to show simple characters living in an area similar to that of his own birth. The richly colourful life of these people is carefully drawn and the story crowds with minor charcters depicted with keen perception and great humour. There is Uncle Kamil the sweet seller, Abbas the barber, Kirsha the café owner, "Dr" Boosh the dentist, Radwan Hussainy the landlord, Sheikh Darwish the former English teacher, Umm Hamida the mariage broker, Salim Alwan the company owner, Husniya and Jaada the bakers, Zaita the cripple maker and Ibrahim Faraj the pimp.
We see how they are enticed away from their natural roles by the hopes of material gains chiefly through work with the British Army. The novel examines the problems of behaviour and morality: drug addiction, homosexuality, ambitions and dissatisfactions. Perhaps it is time itself which is the novel's principal character personified by the ageless Alley. The aspirations and tragedies of the inhabitants are witnessed with indifference by Midaq Alley. But in the Alley, as in life itself, there is also a lot of gaiety, colour and excitement to enliven the passing scene.
See the movie.......2005-07-26
This weekend I saw an adaptation of this book in a movie starring Salma Hayek. From the reviews I have read here, it is very similar, but takes place in Mexico. I was spellbound by the movie, and will therefore try to get the book.
Great fiction from Egypt.......2004-09-09
Regardless of the poor translation (the one I read by Trevor Le Gassick) this was still immensely enjoyable, the characters shone through and the scene descriptions are so rich I felt like I was there, it was just written (or translated) in such a stilted way that it felt like English was definitely not the narrator's first language. I had previously read the Cairo trilogy, the story of several generations of a family, Midaq Alley is quite different, a soap opera about the people of the alley set over a short period of time, fast paced and very funny at times despite the bleak lives of the characters.
The setting is WWII, a generally prosperous time for the people in this story, some content with life in the alley, and others more ambitious dreaming of nothing but escape. Strong characters with interconnected stories draw the reader into their lives - Kirsha the cafe owner with young male lovers, Hamida who is lured into prostitution, fat Uncle Kamil and his sweet shop, Abbas the barber who joins the army just for money to win a bride, Zaita the beggar and grave robber who performs surgery for a fee to create other beggars, Mrs. Saniya Afifi who will pay anything to a marriage broker to get herself a young husband, and several others with stories of their own to tell.
I enjoy books that expose me to totally different cultures and ways human beings adapt to what life throws at them. Midaq Alley was a journey to another time and the other side of the world.
You'll become a resident of this little street.......2004-06-09
This book was an excellent and not-too-difficult read. I say not too difficult because I read the entire thing on my morning and evening commute over two weeks. The narration really brings the reader into Midaq Alley, to a point where one feels like they too are peering at every character through window shades and evesdropping on conversations in the cafe. The plight of the main female character is reminiscent of Sister Carrie. Like Carrie, she is a character that one can neither like nor detest. I enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading more of Mahfouz's work.
Book Description
Reorganized to better reflect the order in which mechanical ventilation is typically taught, this text focuses on the management of patients who are receiving mechanical ventilatory support and provides clear discussion of mechanical ventilation and its application. The 4th edition features two-color illustrations, an increased focus on critical thinking, a continued emphasis on ventilator graphics, and several new chapters including non-invasive positive pressure ventilation and long-term ventilation.
Customer Reviews:
A Great Resource!.......2007-01-16
I have just started my pulmonology residency and I have to say this book is a life-saver! It is a great resource. It has everything in a concise, srtaight-foward manner. It has helped me out of many a Grand Rounds jam. I highly highly recommend this book.
Poor.......2006-12-17
We used this book when I was a student respiratory therapist, and it was really bad. The author is overly wordy. She often gives a long explaination that leaves out the key points when a more concise explaination would be better.
A lot of the questions at the end of the chapters had long, unclear answers that were annoying. They would ask something like "What effect does increasing (something) have on (something else). Instead of answering that this would increase or decrease the second variable, she would give a long answer that says it would have a "negative" effect. Yes, but negative in what way? Too high, too low, what?
A major expansion & refinement of the previous edition........1998-08-26
Pilbeam establishes herself as the therapist expert in mechanical ventilation with this expanded & refined edition. It is current, readable, comprehensive & firmly based in clinical practice. Pilbeam is a national treasure in the field of respiratory care.
Insightful, student friendly, chapters flow easily.......1998-08-05
Having been away from Respiratory Therapy for a number of years, I needed a text that would bring me "up to speed" with changes in technology and current mindsets in acute and chronic care of the respiratory patient. What a joy this book is to read! The author obviously has the firmest of grasps on the subjects discussed and her teaching background is evident throughout.
Product Description
The guide described by The New York Times as 'indispensable', revised and updated for 2006, fills a vital niche for expatriates and Cairenes alike who need a helping hand to organize and enjoy the challenges of a sojourn in Cairo. The basics of daily life: finding a flat, transporting personal goods, investigating school options for children, navigating Egypt's famous bureaucracy, and the intricacies of feeding and clothing oneself and one's family from the local market are all detailed here. Advice gathered from a wide range of Cairo insiders, both native and foreign, gives the reader a cornucopia of current facts on prices, neighborhoods, product availability, work and business opportunities, and the dizzying range of cultural and leisure pursuits that Cairo is famous for. The format of this edition addresses the needs of independently minded tourists as well as residents by the inclusion of: an A to Z directory of goods, services, and interests subdivided by neighborhood; a language section on the basics of Cairene Arabic; and details on shopping and sightseeing from a resident s perspective. 'Cairo: The Practical Guide', now in its fifteenth edition, is the key to deciphering the complexities of living, working, and enjoying life in one of the world's most exciting and dauntingly complex mega-cities.
Customer Reviews:
"indespensable"?????.......2007-01-21
this book may be indispensable for expatriots or foreign workers living in cairo but is not valuable for tourism purposes. a general travel guide will provide much more vital info for the short term visitor.
All the Nuts & Bolts!.......2006-11-03
If you're a tourist, this book may not be for you. HOWEVER, if you will be in Cairo for any time, for any reason, you will need this book! It is the best compilation of grassroots information - it covers things not covered by the usual travel guides. I just wish it had some city maps in it!
Invaluable Resource if You're Moving to Egypt.......2003-08-18
I was offered a job in Egypt in 2000 and purchased the 2000 version of "Cairo: The Practical Guide." It was, as the title said, full of practical information about living in Cairo. It was a great resource as I prepared to relocate and I referred back to it many times over my two years there. It had everything from the skinny on the different parts of town to how to deal with tipping and lots in between. This book has the sort of stuff about everyday life that you won't find in tourist guide books. The accompanying book of maps (sold separately) was also very useful.
Moving to Cairo? This is a must-read.......2000-03-31
This book is not your average "here's-how-to-get-to-pyramids" guide book to Egypt, nor is it intended to be. This is a book specifically for individuals and families moving to Cairo for an extended period who have not spent time in Middle Eastern, African or other second-tier countries whose citizenry has a different "walterschaaung" or worldview. Listing this guidebook in the travel guide section is wide of the mark; this is a survival guide for ex-patriots to one of the most historic and culturally unsual (from a Western perspective) place on the planet. Thousands of survival tips are given, such as which kinds of cheeses to select, where to find and what to pay a housekeeper, where to find fresh meat, which mall has a Baskins-Robbins, which neighborhood would best suit the new arrival, and a pretty good chapter on survival Arabic. The writing style, like this guide, is not sugar-coated but directly sparse, defoliated and easy to read and remember. I would pack this book along with several other guidebooks if you are planning an extended (more than a few days) stay in Cairo. While world-romping tourists could probably live without this guide, the expat would find it indispensible. Chances are, though, a new guide book edition (the 10th) is already headed toward the American University in Cairo Press.
This revision is awful.......1999-09-12
The previous edition of this book, edited by Cassandra Vivian was far superior to this one. This edition is written for a single audience-wealthy married with children embassy types-and ignores the wide variety of other foreigners who wind up in Cairo. It is highly idiosyncratic in its views and leaves out whole areas of information that were covered in the previous edition. My old edition fell apart and I threw it away thinking the new edition would replace it, and now I am kicking myself for doing so.
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