Customer Reviews:
Great book!.......2007-07-25
Everywhere, products and services are being imitated. Whatever an organization is doing and providing today is right now becoming imitated and commoditized, and, therefore, will inevitably require significant change.
To sustain a competitive advantage in this "Copycat Economy," companies must break from the pack by differentiating themselves from their competitors. They must build cool, compelling products and attempt to always stay way ahead of their competitors.
The book, `Break from the Pack', by Oren Harari (The Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell), is about how to be the leader of a company that breaks from the pack.
In every industry, says Harari, a very small number of organizations are fast, fit, healthy and clearly at the forefront. These groups are clearly ahead of "the pack". The bad news is that in a global free market, the pack is bigger than ever before! The pack grows, more players join in, constantly checking each other out and mimicking each other's movements. The result is the Copycat Economy, where everyone has access to the same resources and talent, and where imitation is rampant.
According to the author, faced with this plague of imitation, business leaders reflexively resort to actions that plunge their companies further into the Copycat Economy. Some of those actions leaders should avoid are:
1. The Compulsion to Cut Prices: Lowering prices to keep customers from migrating to your competitors decimates a company's margins and trains customers to wait for another round of price cuts before buying. When one competitor copies the other's price-cutting sales promotion, both fall prey to the Copycat Economy.
2. The Compulsion to Get Bigger: The key predictors of corporate success is not the size of a company's tangible assets (its balance sheet), but the size of its intangible assets like its speed in execution and customer care, its culture of constant innovation, and its agility in capitalizing on opportunities. The companies that dominate don't dominate because they got big. They got big because they dominated!
3. The Compulsion to Ask Customers What They Want: Breaking from the pack requires you to lead customers to a place they didn't ask to go and didn't know existed. How many consumers would have assured Howard Schultz (Starbucks) they would stand in line to spend $4 for a cup of coffee in a paper cup?
4. The Compulsion to Use Legal and Political Force to Protect Your Business: If companies rely on legal and political force for competitive advantage, they are doomed. Lawsuit and protectionism strategies drain a company of resources, money, vision, and the urgency to reinvent itself in the face of new technological and competitive realities. A company must proceed "as if" there is no "protection" because, ultimately, there isn't.
5. The Compulsion to Do Anything as Long as You're Doing Something: Many businesspeople respond to the Copycat Economy with manic bursts of action, such as acquisitions, restructuring, downsizing, outsourcing, or new alliances. It doesn't matter whether there's any strategic discipline as long as action happens. "Do whatever it takes to get the numbers Wall Street wants" becomes the message. When a company goes down this track, the inevitable setbacks begin.
The best concept I found in this book was about the Madonna and Willie Nelson Effect.
The singer Madonna has been spectacularly successful. What is her secret? Harari says that Madonna reinvents herself by keeping her antennae attuned to the culture, norms and behaviors that groups are currently experimenting with. She is always evolving; she never stands still. Every two years she comes up with a new look, a new way of presenting herself, a new attitude, a new act, and a new design. And every time it is successful. According to Harari, that is the mantra that applies to any business that wants to break from the pack. The essence of the Madonna Effect is, "Don't just respond to your customers; lead them."
In the late 1980s, singer Willie Nelson was asked about how he "knew" that his leadership on "outlaw" music would be so successful. He replied, "Being a good leader is finding a bunch of people going in one direction and jumping in front of them."
I found the Madonna and Willie Nelson Effect the most inspiring passages in this book.
So what kinds of organizations are successful in this copycat economy? Harari says that organizations that break from the pack are curious, cool and crazy.
Curious: If the strategic direction of your organization can be described as daring, bold and adventurous, then you're on the right track.
Cool: What you do, what you make and how you do it all must be perceived and experienced as cool by your employees, customers and investors.
Crazy: "You can't proceed in a calm, rational manner," said Jack Welch to The Wall Street Journal. "You've got to be out on the lunatic fringe." In the world of business, today's lunacy is tomorrow's conventional wisdom.
Harari also stresses the importance of carefully choosing your team. He says that leaders must choose the best people with the greatest talent. In other words, they must enlist champions. Leaders should scour the landscape not for people who can "do the job," but for maniacs who, without being asked to, will transform their jobs on behalf of the team, not their own egos.
Finally, Harari discusses the importance of one's customers. He says that leaders must be able to convey to their employees that the prime purpose of their jobs is to help make customers very, very happy. Peter Drucker always said that the only reason for a company's existence is to create and serve customers!
This is a great book for all leaders struggling in this copycat economy!
The power of "a radically compelling value proposition, hard economic logic, and fast efficient execution".......2007-06-12
One the most formidable challenges most organizations now face is how to differentiate themselves from the competition, especially at a time when customers have more choices and more control of the purchase decision, and when, as Oren Harari observes, "In every industry, a very small number of organizations are fast, fit, healthy, and clearly at the forefront. They are followed by a few pretty good wannabes nipping at their heels. These groups are clearly ahead of `the pack' - that large, undifferentiated bulk of companies of all shapes and sizes that don't stand out and don't draw the kind of positive attention from customers and investors that they'd like."
Harari focuses in this book on how to break away from - and then stay ahead of -- "the pack" and thereby thrive in what will probably continue to be a "Copycat Economy," even as a process of natural selection seems to eliminate faster than ever before those organizations that are unwilling and/or unable to adapt to new (albeit painful) realities in their competitive environment. Throughout Harari's narrative, his emphasis is always on "how" and, when appropriate, he includes a brief explanation to establish a context within which he shares insight and recommended action items.
All of those organizations that succeed in breaking from a given pack understand the power of "a radically compelling value proposition, hard economic logic, and fast efficient execution." Each involves a mix of entrepreneurial spirit, foresight, and discretion as well as prudence. Harari characterizes that mix as "calculated reinvention." With regard to the first, "a radically compelling value proposition," Harari introduces "Curious, Cool and Crazy/Calculated Reinvention Launch Pads" in Part I that can propel almost any organization in six strategic directions. For example, "Dominate or Leave" which makes sense if an organization does not have both domination and profitability. How to know that? Harari points out that no company can "be all and do all" profitably. For sustained competitive advantage (and for breaking from the pack), companies must determine which markets and value propositions they can dominate (be the best at, be the benchmark for innovation, be the ones that set the agenda for the industry), and then avoid or exit those they can't. He also emphasizes the need for metrics for measurement that revolve around profit as well as organic growth rate, customer retention rate, and rate of retention of most valuable employees.
The importance of "hard economic logic" is especially important when M&A activities are involved. In Chapter Ten, "Consolidate for Cool," Harari identifies and then examines eight reasons why M&As fail (Pages 230-237) and eight motives which have made M&A "the number-one `go to' growth strategy for many executives despite the fact that a high percentage (estimates range from 65%-80%) either fail or fall far short of expectations. Many readers will especially appreciate Harari's "6-T Blueprint" for determining whether or not a proposed consolidation meets all six of the criteria specified (Pages 241-246). Obviously, if a proposed consolidation is rejected, it may still make sense to forge a strategic alliance with the given organization. Harari concludes the chapter by sharing some sound advice from a Ben McCleary, a former lead investment banker at Lehman Brothers and currently a partner at Seaview Capital.
"The 6-T is hard to quantify, [McCleary] says, which can open it up to potential abuse or disregard. But, he continues, if you read the 6T Blueprint in the privacy of your office or home, think carefully about your motives and options, look in the mirror, and [begin italics] then [end italics] ask yourself `Is this deal the right thing to do?', then you just might make the right decision that will truly help your organization break from the pack."
As for "fast efficient execution," Harari examines the importance of "tornado speed" in an earlier book, Beep! Beep! He and co-author Chip Bell offer some truly valuable insights into major business subjects such as effective leadership, "competing in the terrain of the future," collaborative "flocking" (as opposed to mindless regimentation), strategic uses of speed, flexibility and adaptability, the power of having an "honorable culture, "the "magic" of curiosity and innovation, and the importance of joy (as opposed to pleasure). I especially appreciate the inclusion of several dozen boxed items (e.g. "Birdseed") that supplement (indeed nourish) the narrative. In Break from the Pack, Harari reiterates the importance of speed, agility, and flexibility, and what he calls "strategy on the run"; these are attributes that break-from-the-pack organizations use to capitalize on fleeting market opportunities.
I am among those who agree with Harari's comments about dominance. For example, that two or more organizations can be dominant within the same competitive marketplace (whatever it may be) if - huge "if"--each of them sustains sufficient profit margins, continues to avoid or eliminate waste, and maintains a high retention level of both (profitable) customers and (valued) employees. It takes courage as well as determination to eliminate whatever and whoever weakens performance in any one of them.
Tom Peters has described the business world as "a brawl with no rules" and there is some truth in that but, as Oren Harari explains so brilliantly, there are values as well as strategies and tactics to break away from the pack and that can be a noble achievement because it helps an organization to provide itself and all of its stakeholders with "the joy and reward that come with being on the leading edge."
A game plan for creating standout products and profits.......2007-05-10
The modern workplace is a complex jigsaw puzzle with international pieces, quick-change technology and oddly shaped commodities. It's hard to comprehend or complete the global economic enigma, but Oren Harari offers crucial elements of the workplace puzzle. With precision and real-life examples, Harari explains how employees and executives can succeed in a "copycat economy" dominated by imitators, pretenders and pirates. He offers vision and practical tips, though some corporate examples, such as his praise of JetBlue - which is now well-established - seem a little forced or dated in this otherwise timely text. The book can be repetitious in sections, but some points are worth repeating and this analysis is well worth reading. We highly recommend it to executives, investors and mid-level employees.
Distilled common sense.......2007-01-29
When reading this book, everything the author says sounds so "common sense", so you're left wondering why so many people behave differently (but luckily they do, otherwise there would be no room for improvement).
Tightly packed with clear analyses and useful advices, "Break from the Pack" will definitely help you if you decide you'll be trying to be different from your competitors.
No more copy cat.......2007-01-14
As they say, if you're not out front the scenery never changes. This book will really help guide your thinking on how you can change your business to stay in front of the competition. It's a quick read, with interesting real life examples. Yet it makes it's point and gives you things to think about in relation to your own business. Well worth it.
Book Description
We all know that the rules by which business is conducted have changed. But by how much? The dot.commers who threw out the playbook and tried to reinvent everything crashed and burned. "Back-to-basics" and "execution" are refrains reverberating down corporate hallways. And yet there is still a sense of unease. "Playing it safe" could just be another phrase for "heading toward business oblivion." Jonas Ridderstrale and Kjell Nordstrom, the outspoken authors of the international besteller, Funky Business, are at it again, with a provocative analysis of the social and cultural forces that are defining the business landscape--in particular, the fundamental relationships between employers and employees and between companies and customers. Covering a huge terrain--from the impact of high tech to the ever-widening gaps between the haves and the have-nots, and with references from Adam Smith to Janis Joplin--the authors bring into focus the challenges of business leadership in a world increasingly defined by individualism. "Karaoke" capitalism refers to the philosophy of imitiation, engrained into the corporate mindset by such popular concepts as benchmarking and best practice. For Ridderstrale and Nordstrom, the only way to survive is to chuck convention, to embrace your company's individual personality and promote it through everything you do, constantly honing what works and abandoning what doesn't. Ultimately, the authors argue that armed with imagination it is possible to sustain profitable businesses while contributing to the well-being of customers, communities, and the society at large. Visit the authors' Web sites at www.karaokecapitalism.com and www.funkybusiness.com.
Amazon.com
Illicit activities are exploding worldwide. The onslaught of globalization has unleashed a tidal wave of bad stuff--everything from arms trafficking, human smuggling, and money laundering to music bootlegging. Here is the dark side of globalization: the mushrooming underground economy. Moisés Naím explores this murky world in his book Illicit. Naím is the editor of the relaunched magazine Foreign Policy and a former executive director of the World Bank and Minister of Trade and Industry of Venezuela. In Illicit, he unties the connections between the Colombian cocaine dealer, the New York banker steering money to offshore tax havens, the Albanian forcing women into prostitution, and the Chinese market stall-holder selling counterfeit DVDs.
Naím reports that legitimate global trade has doubled since 1990 from $5 to $10 trillion. Meanwhile, money laundering has gone up tenfold, exceeding $1 trillion a year. Smuggling and money laundering have always existed, but Naím shows how they have increased at a staggering pace in the wake of globalization, despite new government controls since 9/11. The main culprits are the collapse of the Iron Curtain and state deregulation. As the reach of organized crime has expanded, governments have failed to keep up. Naím illustrates the problems with stories about A.Q. Khan, the father of Pakistan's atomic bomb who sold nuclear technology to North Korea and Libya; Walter C. Anderson, an American who was accused of hiding $450 million in offshore accounts to evade taxes; and Vladimir Montesinos, the Peruvian intelligence czar who is on trial for trafficking drugs and arms. The book, while a little dry, will be interesting to policy buffs and aspiring crooks alike. --Alex Roslin
Book Description
A groundbreaking investigation of how illicit commerce is changing the world by transforming economies, reshaping politics, and capturing governments.
In this fascinating and comprehensive examination of the underside of globalization, Moises Naím illuminates the struggle between traffickers and the hamstrung bureaucracies trying to control them. From illegal migrants to drugs to weapons to laundered money to counterfeit goods, the black market produces enormous profits that are reinvested to create new businesses, enable terrorists, and even to take over governments. Naím reveals the inner workings of these amazingly efficient international organizations and shows why it is so hard — and so necessary to contain them. Riveting and deeply informed, Illicit will change how you see the world around you.
Customer Reviews:
TheDon.......2007-07-16
Interesting, but presents very little information that is not already widely known. The author's recurring "everybody-does-it" theme seems to reject the possibility that some cultures are much more prone than others to problematic levels of illicit activity.
Any college-level holding strong in international studies, from business to social issues, must have this........2007-02-09
Unlawful commerce is changing world economies, influencing international politics, and even undermining some of the foundations of society: this is the argument of ILLICIT: HOW SMUGGLERS, TRAFFICKERS, ARE HIJACKING THE GLOBAL ECONOMY. It's an essential discussion for modern times, surveying the links between seemingly-small illicit users around the world and how globalization is affected by their actions. Any college-level holding strong in international studies, from business to social issues, must have this.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
No Footnotes.......2006-09-22
I'm about a third of the way through the book; very provocative so far. Unfortunately, my copy has no footnotes. The notes are at the end of the chapters as you'd expect, but the numbers they reference are not in the text. Tends to complicate a serious academic reading.
A riposte to free market cheerleaders.......2006-06-10
"Illicit" by Moises Naim is a good primer on the underground economy. Mr. Naim's experience as an Editor at Foreign Policy magazine appears to have helped the author hone his skills at synthesizing an impressive quantity of third-party research to support his thesis. It is also evident that Mr. Naim's discussions with numerous high-level personal and professional contacts around the world have helped him reflect on the topic at length, leading him to offer many pages of thoughtful critique and analysis. The end result is a balanced and nuanced book that makes a valuable contribution to our understanding about an increasingly urgent and worrisome problem.
Some might also read Mr. Naim's description of how globalization empowers illicit trade as a riposte to free market cheerleaders such as Thomas Friedman, who tend to equate entrepreneurship with utopianism. To the contrary, we find that many counterfeiters and traffickers are highly skilled and creative people who excel at exploiting decentralized and flexible underground marketing, sales and production networks for personal gain but at great expense to our collective peace and security. According to Mr. Naim, "profits...was the name of the game" for nuclear weapons traders such as A.Q. Khan, and it is on this basis that the struggle to curtail illict trade must be based.
Given that governments around the world are currently losing this struggle, Mr. Naim argues for a strategy of harm reduction including the removal of the artificial barriers that create myriad profit opportunities for criminals. For example, this might include the decriminalization of marijuana. The author reasons that law enforcement could better focus on much more dangerous activities and on enforcing the laws in more readily attainable ways, such as prosecuting major drug dealers and the employers of illegal aliens. I found Mr. Naim's recommendations to be refreshingly commonsensical when compared with the more politically expedient but ineffective supply-side fixes that are proposed by far too many policymakers today.
Regrettably, Mr. Naim fails to take the book to a deeper level of analysis by making a stronger connection between neoliberal ideology, democracy and illicit trade. To be sure, Mr. Naim highlights the fact that some places on our planet have become anarchic, controlled by criminal gangs of all sorts whose economic power has allowed them to buy off their local governments (if they exist at all). However, he does not acknowledge the fairly obvious fact that illicit trade might represent precisely what neoliberalism desires: pure capitalism without the restraining influence of government. Might his recommendations have been made stronger by insisting on ways to achieve meaningful social and environmental justice through radical democratic reforms, rather than plugging holes in an already far too leaky and decrepit system of global neoliberal governance?
Setting aside this reasonable difference in opinion, I found this book to be an engagingly interesting and informative read. I highly recommend it to all.
Same Business Savy/Muscle As Wal-Mart.......2006-05-20
"In todays labyrinthine routings of contraband across multiple contients, front companies are easy to set up, dozens in order to blur one's trace. As a result intermediaries in international commerce of illicit products, services , & humans have increased their profile and their profits. It is the brokers who control today's illicit markets, set the deals, & make the big money".This is a small snipet of the market place. The markets are just markets/ legal or illegal. Governments decide the righteousness of them. In other words: what is in a true market: cent$, can now be dollar$. It is the magic of a legalized highway robbery called the stroke a pen. Of course its a no brainer that governmemnts are getting greased to hell and back. Through corporate(legal/illegal) sugar daddys or just down and dity in your face corruption. It has penetrated deeply into the private sector, politics, and governments of today. It is penetrating markets deeper, plus horizontally and vertically, and in direct proportion to their profits that control crucial decisions within current national governments (U.S. included). In some cases the national interests are completely aligned with illegal profits. A must read for understanding the a whole picture the global economy. It is an entertaining and informative read. Welcome to globalization. And of course that is on either side of the border: because they own both sides!
Customer Reviews:
Ruby Insecure.......2007-07-25
Ruby is a new girl in a new class. She is afraid to be herself. She finds a girl and little by little starts dressing like her and supposedly doing the same things as she does. This other girl is Angela, who gets very upset with Ruby and tells Mrs. Hart the teacher.
Ruby is a little girl who is nervous and insecure about herself. She is afraid she will not be accepted or liked if she is who she really is.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.......2006-09-13
Ruby, in this delightful story, starts school new and finds an iconographic fascination with a girl who does everything easily and beautifully, Angela. Angela for lack of a better way to explain this is simple sugar and spice and cheer squad and Peggy Lipton all rolled into one dynamite girl. Miss Hart, the teacher, in time observes Ruby as each day she escalates levels of imitation and pure fixation on Angela,from wearing an identical red bow as Angela has on when she comes back to class after returning from home lunch, to bending the truth to say she was "also a flower girl in her sister's wedding"(oh no, teacher silently realizes real lying is starting) to painting a rainbow on her clothes to make her outfit match Angela after another lunch break home. Ruby even, when absolutely rejected in a very strong and rather cruel manner by Angela who is clearly yucked out by this sad little gadfly sycophant, tries to reattach the need to just be someone else (and thus matter) Ruby even stoops to imitation of Miss Hart's nails. Now that's pretty complex stuff for kids.I'd say heavy, wouldn't you? If you read it to a class they will be glued to their spots as if in a trance. This, they get. The problem is resolved in a manner I call SIDEWAYS resolving. It isn't as if Angela suddenly in epiphany sees Ruby as her equal, learns her true worth and harmony results. In a classic distraction the teacher finds a way to generate a Ruby based skill, make it fun and the class enjoys her for herself. How the next day went is unaddressed. In my teaching life as a classroom leader it is likely the teacher would mediate the social interaction for a good long while to build the skills for Ruby, the confidences and to open up Angela to understanding she may indeed write nice poetry, wear her clothes well, speak with ease and have power but she's a long way from having the kind of fragile willingness to be vulnerable and reveal inner insecurities and present that mirror up to Angela. Ruby is , in my teacher lingo-a child that tells us by her doing well or not the barometer for our class's social/emotional health.WE ARE ALL RUBY , I'm afraid. If we learn the lesson of this book, being a copycat is insignificant really, what we are addressing is how we perceive others, our selves, our talents and worth in relationship to others, acceptance, grace, vulnerability these constructs ride at the heart of this wonderful book. Peggy Rathman who went on to win awards on her next book, Officer Buckle and Gloria, surely did a great job here. And if you read her first, Bootsie Barker Bites, written with Barbara Bottner you have quite a triple play. I'm going to share a tip. This book, as well as Bootsie Barker was made into a VCR by Shelly Duvall in a series called "Bedtime Stories" , I think now sadly just available used. This series was just about the best I ever saw for children after Reading Rainbow. This particular story was narrated by Shelley Long (from Cheers) with a great guitar riff in background and is just such a treat for children. It is a Great way to hear Ruby the Copycat. Incidentally if you want the best straight up copycat story out there read Ramona the Brave. You'll love it too.
You are a copycat!.......2003-09-01
I have mixed feelings regarding this book. On the one hand the book is funny and deals with a real life problem of kindergarden and primary school children ("he is a copycat" is a regular accusation at my house). However, reading this story after reading Peggy Rathmann's three other books: "Gorilla", "Officer Buckle and Gloria" and "Ten minutes till bedtime" is a little disappointing. The three books mentioned are totally hilarious and I feel they are all unique and special works of art. This book however, although very good, does not come to their masterpiece level.
"Ruby the Copycat" is written with a neutral voice without "taking sides" - just telling the story as it is. Reader can understand both Ruby, the copycat, and in a way even understand why she is copying (Ruby is the new kid and Angela's ribbon is so very charming) but also see the point of view of those being copied - as Angela, whose every act (red ribbon in hair, rainbow painted shirt) is copied by Ruby. At first this is nice and Angela whispers back at Ruby "I like your ribbon" - but after a while Angela does not whisper any more... Ruby is stripping her of all individuality. These are an adult words but the book is written in a language every child can understand and the pictures are there to strengthen the words. Ruby wins the readers heart in the end when following the teacher's advice (don't we all wish for such teachers) finds her own unique "thing" and now the children copy Ruby's "hopping".
Ruby the Copycat teaches empathy to primary grade children.......2001-12-21
We read Ruby the Copycat in my second-grade classroom, and the kids really gravitated toward it. The illustrations are appropriately stylized to clearly deliver character emotions, and there are subtle details in the pictures that breathe more life into the characters. Ruby reminds me of the nervous child in all of us that seeks to fit in. I highly, highly recommend this book for in-class reading. Buy a class set!
Ruby Rocks.......2001-09-18
When I was 9 years old, I read this book at a daycare where I stayed. I read it every single day. One day, I remembered it, after forgetting for years, and came here to amazon.com. I was overjoyed to learn that yes, they had this book. Its a great story your kids or even you will love for years to come. I recommend this book for ages 1-100. You'l love it!
Average customer rating:
- Excellent
- I am in the Minority with my review
- Must Read
- Fair
- A Dark Tale
|
Copycat
Erica Spindler
Manufacturer: Mira
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Women Sleuths
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Fiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Killer Takes All
-
Forbidden Fruit
-
Bone Cold
-
Fortune
-
Shiver
ASIN: 0778323129 |
Book Description
"I won't talk to anyone else -- only you. Another child, another sweet girl will die. You can stop it, Kitt. Don't you want to stop it?"
Five years ago, three young victims were found dead, posed like little angels. There were no witnesses. Strangely clean scenes. The Sleeping Angel Killer called his despicable acts "the perfect crimes."
The case immobilized the close-knit community of Rockford, Illinois, and nearly destroyed homicide detective Kitt Lundgren's career -- and her life. During the investigation, Kitt tragically lost her own child to illness. She was overwhelmed by the death of her daughter, and the final blow was the crushing realization that she let the killer get away.
Now the Sleeping Angel Killer is back.
Familiar with every nuance of the cold-case file, Kitt knows there's something different about this new rash of killings -- a tiny variation that opens terrifying new possibilities. Is the Sleeping Angel Killer really back, or is a copycat killer re-creating the original "perfect crimes"?
But Kitt has no authority in this investigation. Young, ambitious detective Mary Catherine Riggio is heading up the Sleeping Angel Killer case. M.C. knows that Kitt wants back in and she's smart enough to realize that Kitt's obsession with the case has given the detective insight that M.C. lacks. But M.C., intent on proving herself, fears Kitt will blow the investigation -- again.
Then Kitt starts receiving disturbing phone calls. It's him -- the Sleeping Angel Killer -- and he makes Kitt an unthinkable offer: help in finding his copycat. Forced to rely on each other, Kitt and M.C. must decide whether to place their trust in a murderer . . . or risk becoming victims of a fiend who has taken the art of the perfect murder to horrific new heights.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent.......2007-09-17
Erica Spindler does it again! The book is fast paced with dozens of twists and turns that will leave you guessing until the very end...even when you're sure you know who did it.
The only problem I had with the book was that the two main characters were pretty unlikeable, particularly MC. I would've given it five stars if I had cared more about these two...although, Kitt did get better as the book went along.
I am in the Minority with my review.......2007-01-18
I have been a big Spindler fan from her first book but have to say that I was disappointed in this one. While it seems that everyone thinks it was a great story and so true to life, how could anyone think that when surely police detectives don't just start making up theories and then finding some innocent guy to persecute. They had a great start in connecting the two girls birthday parties and then just dropped it. No further attempts to find out if any of the other girls had birthday parties just before their deaths and if so if there was special entertainment of any kind.
Finally at the end of the book after they had concocted all of these other scenarios, it's Joe, it's a woman, it's this guy and that and none were anywhere near the mark, they finally start trying to connect the parties but through the old ladies. How could Kitt put aside the fact that she knew the killer had been in her house and read her personal journal and then start dwelling on how he got personal info about her and where he got it. She also knew he saw her at the cemetery as he phoned her there so why wouldn't he go see who she was visiting and pick up on the name peanut? Plus she spilled her guts every time she spoke to him on the phone about her personal business. As soon as Kitt zeroed in on her ex and his new girlfriend she put aside everything else she knew about the killer. M.J. was a lousy detective from the word go. Too consumed by her ambition to really think anything out. Yes, they make a great pair, both too quick to grab the closest guy and disregard the evidence that other cops found once they started looking at the rest home. Poor Joe, how could Kitt ever think he would give her another look after what she put him through. He deserved better but not that vindictive girlfriend he had before getting mixed up with Kitt again. She might have been hurt but enough to risk him being charged with murder by her lies?
Must Read.......2006-12-14
This is definately one of her best. She has always been a favorite of mine. Her deep characterization and the suspense was a real page turner. Never a dull moment. She takes you by the seat of your pants and doesn't stop until the very last page.
Fair.......2006-11-06
Like the one I read by Sandra Brown,
I was not too pleased with this book.
I have read all of Erica Spindler books,
and like the one of Brown's after I
finished it I gave it away.
A Dark Tale.......2006-11-03
Erica Spindler has written a few mysteries that give you chills but every parent reading this book will shudder. She brings about one of a parent's greatest fears and puts it on paper for all of us to read and become so absorbed in that we forget time.
COPYCAT tells the story of The Sleeping Angel Killer (SAK), a serial killer whose victims are ten-year-old blonde hair, blue eyed little girls. He kills them in their sleep and then puts on pink lip gloss post mortem so they look pretty. The killings stopped for five years and now have started again.
Kitt Lundgren was the detective assigned to the original SAK case which coincided with major personal tradegy in her own life. Her ten year old daughter battled and lost a fight with leukemia. Kitt forged ahead in trying to apprehend the killer and lost everything - she became an alcoholic, lost her husband, and almost her job when she let the killer slip through her fingers. Five years later, she's sober and wanting to prove to her bosses that she is once again at the top of her game.
Mary Catherine "MC" Riggio is a new detective with the Rockford, Illinois Violent Crimes Bureau and has a lot to prove. She's tough, ambitious and doesn't let anyone get near her personally. When Kitt is assigned to be MC's partner neither woman is thrilled.
The story bounces around a bit once these two are paired up - we get glimpses of Kitt's life with AA, her still wanting her husband back, and seeming to be stuck in a spot where she can't move on with her life. We see MC's life as not being grounded - she has an Italian family whose matriarch is overbearing and demanding with MC trying to make them happy without giving up her detective shield to have children. At times these side journeys left me wondering why they even existed. The addition of a romantic side to both Kitt and MC was interesting. MC's red haired comedian was appealing but some of the aspects of it left me scratching my head. Would a tough as nails cop really fall madly in love, I mean head-over-heels gaga type love, in the span of a couple of days? It seemed very out of character. Kitt's AA friend makes a play for her and she does nothing but stammer after the kiss... well that was out of character too.
Even though the side journeys were less than thrilling, the main plot was excellent. The SAK begins phoning Kitt and explains that it's a copycat trying to imitate his perfect crimes. We're given the evidence and the opportunity to identify the killer or killers at the same time as MC and Kitt. There are enough red herrings to make you wonder if there really is a copycat or is this the game of the original killer. A few of the red herrings are tossed in but we never get an ending to their story which left me wondering about them.
Overall, COPYCAT was very enjoyable and the killer's identity was well hidden until the end. I do have to admit that I had a fleeting moment in the middle when I wondered if it could be XXXX behind all of it. But the moment passed and I was drawn back into the web of uncertainty. This is one book that will be enjoyed by mystery buffs as well as those wanting something a little darker than a romance or happily-ever-after novel.
Customer Reviews:
This book offers little value.......2004-07-07
I bought this book at a local offline store with great interest. As I read it from cover to cover, I was disappointed to find the flow of information just a fleeting thought by its author. The book very well serves the (ill)famous way of *mw*y corporation called: self-perpetuation without inspiration. It talks and talks of network marketing as a way of creating wealth .. but never tells how to build a network for marketing. No people skills, no personality development tips, no sales/presentation tips are ever given. If you really want to read something of value, read just the last 4 pages (I mean it!) .. all the rest just a preamble that promises some valuable reading to come up in subsequent pages. I am sure the author/publisher knows well not to allow *Search-Inside-The-Book Feature* at Amazon.com.
My two words of advice: Keep-Away! (from this book).
For the scpetics of network marketing........2002-06-02
Some people don't think network marketing is the best way to wealth. My question to them is "Are you wealthy? And if you are how did you become wealthy?" Networking is the best way for everything in life. It is how you make friends and wealth. And it will teach patience. This is an excellent book to change the way one views business and personal finance. This book comes highly recommended.
Not what I expected.......2002-03-07
The book begins very well, great concepts and examples of how copicating has been always used for smart people to create or increase wealth, but it takes a turn for the worse when turns into propaganda for franchising and NETWORK MARKETING, the author translates the whole concept into Amway and McD.
I mean there are nothing wrong with that, actually they are very succesfull companies, but I personally dont think those are the best way to become wealthy.
CopyCat Marketing 101.......2000-11-24
An excellent book. An easy read. A great tool to assist in building a large multi level business.
Allen Rouse Australia
Specially designed for wise guy like YOU.......2000-04-17
If you are a billionaire dreamer,this book is the right map to your Goal! It's easily understandable..N.. simple-to-follow concept for YOU to copycat the step to true wealth ! we born to copycat..N..to be copycated.So,are you COPYCATTING the RIGHT WAY ? Are you going to be COPYCATED rightly by YOUR COMING GENERATION ? I'm very sure that this CHEAP book is offerring eveyone a VALUABLE infomations,knowledges..N..a lot more! Get it now OR REGRET!
Average customer rating:
|
Drat! You Copycat! #7 (Katie Kazoo, Switcheroo)
Nancy E. Krulik
Manufacturer: Grosset & Dunlap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic
| Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
New Experiences
| Family Life
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
New Experiences
| Social Issues
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Fiction
| Friendship
| Social Situations
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ages 9-12
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Moving
| Issues
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
First Day of School
| Issues
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
School
| Issues
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Ages 9-12
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
First Day of School
| Issues
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Moving
| Issues
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
School
| Issues
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Literature
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic
| Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror
| Literature
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
New Experiences
| Family Life
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
New Experiences
| Social Issues
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Fiction
| Friendship
| Social Situations
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Get Lost! #6 (Katie Kazoo, Switcheroo)
-
Doggone It! #8 (Katie Kazoo, Switcheroo)
-
Any Way You Slice It #9 (Katie Kazoo, Switcheroo)
-
I Hate Rules! #5 (Katie Kazoo, Switcheroo)
-
Girls Don't Have Cooties #4 (Katie Kazoo, Switcheroo)
ASIN: 0448431718 |
Book Description
Becky is the new girl in class 3A, and she's a great big copycat! She's trying to be just like Katie's best friend Suzanne. She follows Suzanne around, dresses like her, and steals Suzanne's class report topic. Suzanne can't stand Becky! Then, the magic wind turns Katie into Becky. Will Suzanne change her mind about the new girl? Will Katie turn back into herself without causing too much trouble?
Illustrated by John & Wendy
Book Description
Have you ever craved restaurant fare late at night only to find out the restaurant has closed? Now you can make restaurant dishes at home anytime you like and amaze your friends. The author, a seasoned restaurant professional, recreates over 50 items from restaurant menus across America. Make everything from Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits to Olive Garden's Chicken Marsala.
Book Description
A disturbed student shoots up his classroom -- and suddenly a wave of mass murder is sweeping through our nation's schools. A young child is taken from her home -- and for months afterward child abductions are frantically reported on an almost daily basis. A surfer is attacked by a shark -- and the public spends an entire summer fearing an onslaught of the deadly underwater predators. Why do the terrible events we see in the media always seem to lead to more of the same? Noted author and cultural behaviorist Loren Coleman explores how the media's over-saturated coverage of murders, suicides, and deadly tragedies makes an impact on our society. This is The Copycat Effect -- the phenomenon through which violent events spawn violence of the same type. From recognizing the emerging patterns of the Copycat Effect, to how we can deal with and counteract its consequences as individuals and as a culture, Loren Coleman has uncovered a tragic flaw of the information age -- a flaw which must be corrected before the next ripples of violence spread.
Download Description
"VIOLENCE BEGETS VIOLENCE BEGETS VIOLENCE... A disturbed student shoots up his classroom -- and suddenly a wave of mass murder is sweeping through our nation's schools. A young child is taken from her home -- and for months afterward child abductions are frantically reported on an almost daily basis. A surfer is attacked by a shark -- and the public spends an entire summer fearing an onslaught of the deadly underwater predators. Why do the terrible events we see in the media always seem to lead to more of the same? Noted author and cultural behaviorist Loren Coleman explores how the media's over-saturated coverage of murders, suicides, and deadly tragedies makes an impact on our society. This is The Copycat Effect -- the phenomenon through which violent events spawn violence of the same type. From recognizing the emerging patterns of the Copycat Effect, to how we can deal with and counteract its consequences as individuals and as a culture, Loren Coleman has uncovered a tragic flaw of the information age -- a flaw which must be corrected before the next ripples of violence spread. "
Customer Reviews:
Tries to convince through sheer repetition and not solid arguments.......2007-05-21
I was expecting more from this title, especially considering the good reviews it got here, but frankly it seems to fail both on the level of entertaining reading and as an academic essay. Within the first couple of chapters it's already obvious that he's just listing deaths and assorted facts one after another in a really repetitious way. Over and over I wished I could just tell the guy, "We get it, yeah, this person killed himself like the last 50 people killed themselves, now get on with it." But the primary problem with the book is that it links media reports of suicides and killings to other suicides and killings without adequately considering that mentally unbalanced people are just as likely to take drastic and mentally unstable actions even without these news stories -- just at some other time and some other way. If it's not some movie or media report it's from reading Shakespeare or the Bible. Nuts do crazy things, and they're going to pick whatever captures their attention. You can't ban everything. A long list of deaths doesn't prove the argument the author is trying to make, but it appears he hopes that people will be so affected by the long line of tragedies recounted here that they'll rush to pin the blame on the nearest target offered to them to try to solve the problem. Somewhere in here there are reasonable arguments ready to be made and potential ways to get help for people at risk. Instead the author just points the finger at the popular media with only a token concession that this book itself (as well as his other books -- I mean, if anyone should be conscious of the potential for mentally unstable people to do horrible things by no fault of anyone else it would be someone who writes about topics well known for attracting kooks) would then logically also be part of the problem if he was being fair in his moral outrage. But no, the problem is everyone else, even if it isn't. It's just a knee jerk reaction to a very complicated problem with no easy answers.
Coleman does it again.......2006-12-13
The Copycat Effect explores how highly publicized murders and suicides often inspire imitation in certain individuals due to a media that thrives on and profits from lurid and sensationalistic reporting.
Veteran author Loren Coleman presents a meticulously researched expose on the causes of such things as suicide clusters, rage murders involving workplace and school shootings and the books and movies that have inspired such violent acts in others. (The chapter on teen suicide is particularly sad, but compelling reading).
Coleman's data has even allowed him to make accurate predictions about where and when other copycat suicides and murders will occur.
As with all books written by Loren Coleman, this one is highly recommended.
Author uses sensitive language.......2004-11-27
The reviewer E. Sena, who writes "I strongly disagree with associating Suicide Victims with being Cowards," is correct. But E. Sena does not appear to be talking about The Copycat Effect, but their own personal feelings. The Copycat Effect talks of "vulnerable" people, yes, but never, not once, labels anyone a "coward."
Just a clarification, as the book concerns itself with the triggering effect of contagion via the media, and only senstively discusses all people, whether the suicide victims, the shooters, the people left behind, or any others of those who are killed or survive.
Loren Coleman sets up a provocative world view.......2004-11-24
The Copycat Effect: How the Media and Popular Culture Trigger the Mayhem in Tomorrow's Headlines, is an incredible read. I agree with Coleman that the world's always had its problems, it's just far more glamorous now when death is the main topic. However, on another note...not to start something, but I strongly disagree with associating Suicide Victims with being Cowards. I think a lot of people need to realize that those too sensitive to live in this world are not the problem, it's the mean, evil conspirators of the world who have nothing better to do than to make someone's life a living hell, who are to blame. It's the troublemakers who are the cowards. As a Catholic, suicide is percieved as a sin in my household, but everyday there are people taking drugs to cope with the nasties of the world. Everyday. Is it their fault they are born into homes of violence, are targeted in school as freaks, and grow up to become insecure, insular adults? I am speaking from experience. Being bullied by the world at large can crush a person who was never brought up with the right tools to cope. And there are many people like that. Instead of calling them cowards, people should realize that rather than caring about themselves, they should learn to reach out and care for others so that those lost people have someone to go to in a world when more and more everyday, noone wants to listen to another's problems. Granted there are the damaged individuals who'll jump off a roof if you say their shoes are ugly. But mostly, the victims are like you and me, but mostly alone, lonely and forgotten. I have known people like that, passing through the world unnoticed. I don't blame them. I blame the blind world at large that refused to see them.
Suicide is a huge problem, and dismissing it as something weak, cowards do is not alleviating the problem. It's just making it an even easier alternative to living in a world full of demons.
brilliant and crystal clear.......2004-09-18
The role and function of our modern day mass media have often been discussed, but never before have the effects on our society, the way we behave and react, been explained in such crystal clear fashion. While the book gives irrefutable evidence that the darker side of our society is intertwined with the way we describe it in our media, it also helps to come to terms with this mechanism. Clearly, understanding is the first step on the road to betterment, and as such this book is highly recommended.
Average customer rating:
- Denise's Review of Nina, Nina, and the Copycat Ballerina
|
Nina, Nina, and the Copycat Ballerina (All Aboard Reading)
Jane O'Connor
Manufacturer: Grosset & Dunlap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Fiction
| Dance
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Music
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Fiction
| Friendship
| Social Situations
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Fiction
| Girls & Women
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ages 4-8
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Issues
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Sexuality
| Health, Mind & Body
| Teens
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Children's Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Teen Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
General
| Art
| Arts & Photography
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Ages 4-8
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Fiction
| Dance
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Music
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Issues
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Literature
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Fiction
| Girls & Women
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Fiction
| Friendship
| Social Situations
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Sexuality
| Health, Mind & Body
| Teens
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Nina, Nina Star Ballerina (All Aboard Reading Series)
-
Princess for a Day (All Aboard Reading Level 1)
-
Nina, Nina Ballerina (All Aboard Reading)
-
Princess Buttercup: A Flower Princess Story (All Aboard Reading)
-
Fancy Nancy
ASIN: 0448421518 |
Book Description
There's another Nina in Nina's ballet class--and this new Nina doesn't just have the same name. She also has the same leotard, the same dance bag...Nina 2 is a copycat! What is Nina 1 going to do? This easy-to-read story shows how our girl uses her imagination and sense of fair play to reach a funny and clever solution.
Customer Reviews:
Denise's Review of Nina, Nina, and the Copycat Ballerina.......2001-04-07
I personally thought that this book would be great for the little girl who is in ballet school herself, and might have the same problem with one of the girls in her own class. This book can also be great for the little girl whose mother wants to widen her experiences by introducing her to the world of the arts. This book is a Level 1 book for Preschool-Grade 1, which means that it has very large words for easy reading, lots of repetition, and pictures to go along with the text. I think that this book is so cute and since I am a dancer myself, I know that I would give this book to my daughter in the future! I give this book two thumbs up!
Books:
- Busting Loose From the Money Game: Mind-Blowing Strategies for Changing the Rules of a Game You Can't Win
- CCEL Classics CD: works by Saint Augustine, John Calvin, John Donne, Julian of Norwich, Brother Lawrence, Martin Luther, Saint Teresa of Avila, Thomas Aquinas, Thomas a Kempis, John Wesley, and more!
- Click & Close
- Don Quixote (Penguin Classics)
- Dragons of the Dwarven Depths (Dragonlance: The Lost Chronicles, Vol. 1)
- Dreaming in Code: Two Dozen Programmers, Three Years, 4,732 Bugs, and One Quest for Transcendent Software
- Earthcore
- Essential Avengers, Vol. 4 (Marvel Essentials)
- Fishing for Dummies
- Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Chas Addams Happily Ever After: A Collection of Cartoons to Chill the Heart of Your Loved One
- Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes that Rule
- The Journey to the West, Volume 3
- The Big Sea: An Autobiography
- The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents America
- The Variational Principles of Mechanics
- Tropical Nature: Life & Death in the Rain Forests of Central & South America
- Banker to the Poor: The Autobiography of Muhammad Yunus Founder of the Grameen Bank
- The End of North Korea
- Ingush Republic Investment & Business Guide
Marketing Metrics: 50+ Metrics Every Executive Should Master
The SPEED of Trust: The One Thing that Changes Everything
A Leader's Legacy
Know-How: The 8 Skills That Separate People Who Perform from Those Who Don't
Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant
