But fear not! Dr. Seuss, with his inimitable illustrations and exhilarating rhymes, is convinced ("98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed") that success is imminent. As long as you remember "to be dexterous and deft. And NEVER mix up your right foot with your left," things should work out. (All ages) --Emilie Coulter
Book Description
The new grand theory of leadership by Ram Charan . . . The breakthrough book that links know-how—the skills of people who know what they are doing— with the personal and psychological traits of the successful leader.
How often have you heard someone with a commanding presence deliver a bold vision that turned out to be nothing more than rhetoric and hot air? All too often we mistake the appearance of leadership for the real deal. Without a doubt, intelligence, vision, and the ability to communicate are important. But something big is missing: the know-how of running a business—the capacity to take it in the right direction, do the right things, make the right decisions, deliver results, and leave the people and the business better off than they were before.
For well over four decades, Ram Charan has been learning in the most visceral way the underlying reasons why leaders succeed and fail. As one of the most influential advisers to top management teams of leading companies around the world, he has had a front-row seat to observe the cause and effect of leadership practices and behaviors.
Ram Charan’s insight into the real content of leadership provides you with the eight fundamental skills needed for success in the twenty-first century:
• Positioning (and, when necessary, repositioning) your business by zeroing in on the central idea that meets customer needs and makes money
• Connecting the dots by pinpointing patterns of external change ahead of others
• Shaping the way people work together by leading the social system of your business
• Judging people by getting to the truth of a person
• Molding high-energy, high-powered, high-ego people into a working team of leaders in which they equal more than the sum of their parts
• Knowing the destination where you want to take your business by developing goals that balance what the business can become with what it can realistically achieve
• Setting laser-sharp priorities that become the road map for meeting your goals
• Dealing creatively and positively with societal pressures that go beyond the economic value creation activities of your business
Know-How is the missing link of leadership. By showing how the eight know-hows link to, interact with, and reinforce personal and psychological traits, Ram Charan provides a holistic and innovative portrait of successful leaders of the twenty-first century.
Customer Reviews:
Some Good Insights.......2007-09-05
This book has some strong insights into identifying the skill set of performers and non-performers. It is also in some ways though too concise in terms of what Charan identifies.
For instance where he defines Tenacity - the drive to search, persist and follow through, but not too long.
I think Tenacity in leadership is terribly important and not something that has a point of stoppage.
I recently read Bob Prosen's "Kiss Theory Good Bye" and found its identification in terms of Crippling Habits that leaders/companies must overcome to be another inspiring book on how leaders and managers can truly empower long-term change in accountability and in terms of a company's bottom line.
Kiss Theory Good Bye: Five Proven Ways to Get Extraordinary Results in Any Company
Eight priorities for success as a CEO.......2007-08-30
Forty-five years of observing businesses and business leaders as a trusted business-advisor lead Ram Charan to conclude that eight areas of know-how are essential to success: Positioning the Business; Pinpointing External Change; Leading the Social System of your Business; Judging People; Molding a Team; Developing goals; Setting Laser-sharp Priorities; Dealing with Societal Pressures. Using relatable examples Charan explains what he means by these areas of know-how and then ends each chapter's discussion with some guidance on how to gather this know-how.
An easy read that may leave you thinking, "He speaks common sense."
This book is recommended for business leaders who want to consider if they are giving the right priorities to their time and energies. Dennis DeWilde, Author of The Performance Connection
Common sense leadership advice.......2007-08-28
This book covers eight leadership principles in a generic way. The author uses the trick of using success cases that sustains his ideas, but neglects the countless other cases that do not fit his theory. Anyhow, it's an easy and worth read.
Use this to clarify thinking.......2007-08-26
The essence of the book is in the way the thoughts are organized and clarified - and the confirmation that many of our thoughts about running a company and who should be in the company are not just intuition.
It is good value for money and provides a good checklist. I think the first chapter sums it sum nicely; the financial essence of running a profitable company are the same, whether a shoe-shop, a pizza place or a consulting company. What makes the difference is the deep know how needed to succeed in the marketplace - and his value is in giving a framework around which a reader can do substantial self-assessment and put in place a good plan for self improvement.
I also think this is really a good read before making critical hires in particular - it allows one to step back a bit from the hurried pace of today's hiring and take a deep look at what is really needed.
If this book can also help prevent entrepreneurs going off into areas where they lack know-how, this alone would be a great outcome.
Good and Specific Ideas.......2007-08-24
"Know-How" provides a number of credible and helpful ideas on building and sustaining a successful organization. I particularly liked his brief comments on why G.M.'s year 2000 onwards push to regain market had failed, and would greatly have valued more material on strategic thinking. The bad news is, like many books, "Know-How" runs out of gas in its latter half - too many vague aspects relying very heavily on difficult-to-evaluate judgement.
Ram begins by asserting that personal attributes (eg. raw intelligence, commanding presence and great communication skills) are just one small slice of the leadership pie, and that their value is greatly diminished without know-how. ("Know-How" also points out that even management genius Jack Welch originally overemphasized personal attributes.) Some key know-how strengths include the ability to creatively and positively respond to societal pressures with significant impact (eg. global warming, fuel economy), and setting laser-sharp priorities aligning resources and actions to accomplish the goals.
Important personal traits include ambition (with integrity and knowledge regarding where to move), drive and tenacity (stick to the plan, but also realize when it is not working), self-confidence (not driven by a desire to be liked and thereby tolerate non-performers), psychological openness, and an appetite for learning.
Positioning is the central idea of one's business, and most will require at change within each decade. Declining revenues/market share are warning signs. Basic positioning question is "Why is what we offer better than the other options available?" Another is "Where can we win?"
New technology often creates a need to reposition - eg. Google's impact on newspaper advertising. This need may be obscured by conflicting signals - eg. a rise in one region's sales. Another example is Blockbuster vs. Internet movie downloads, or IPod vs. music stores. Down the road thinking is essential in these situations, taking competitors' likely actions into account. The political process now has greater impact than ever before, representing another key area for review - eg. societal positions on global warming, fuel economy.
Immelt of G.E. uses "Dream sessions" to assess trends. Invites customer CEOs (and 1-2 associates) in for a 1-2 day session to hear what the participants visualize for up to ten years. External trends, root causes, views from their customers and regulators are considered. Immelt is also likely to ask those CEOs where they think G.E. should put its R&D priorities.
Promoting cooperation among top leaders is another important concern for a CEO. A new CEO observed that Sherwin-Williams' division presentations degenerated into 7-hour general discussions constantly interrupted by questions from other heads. He decided to limit the presentations to one hour, without interruption, and require the audience to submit three questions - of which he would choose the best. Finally, he asked the division heads whether the meeting had benefited them. Considerable improvement resulted.
Ram suggests multiple people participate in the evaluation of leaders. The intent is more probing, balanced judgement. (However, my experience in an organization needing substantial transformation is that the prior culture's leaders are not likely to focus on the right strengths - eg. overvalue "teamwork" vs. results.)
Hiring criteria for new people should focus on 3-4 top issues; using a broad checklist results in selecting so-so performers with broader experience than most. At least some of the new leaders should come from areas expecting new growth - eg. Brazil, China, India (for an international organization), store managers for Home Depot.
As for the G.M. vignette, when Wagoner took over in 2000 its N.A. market share had been slipping for years, particularly due to Toyota and Honda. Cash generation and margins were shrinking and factories were far below capacity. Wagoner decided to regain market share (probably the politically most popular choice, though my review of others is that it is rarely accomplished), and focused on rebates to accomplish this. Market share did go up, but cash and margins fell; its bonds were downgraded to junk status. Reality was that Toyota and Honda have major competitive advantages - shorter cycle times for new models, and fewer models requiring redesign investment. Also, neither were saddled with G.M.'s health care costs, and the operational excellence added an additional boost to margins. Ram suggests that G.M. should instead have killed off unsustainable product lines - eg. Hummer, Saab, and focused on improving results of those remaining.
Average customer rating:
- A must for any little girl!
- Printed in China XXXXXX
- A very "posh" book!
- MISSTELV
- "I LOVE this book!"
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Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy (Fancy Nancy)
Jane O'connor
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Fiction
| Dogs
| Animals
| Children's Books
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| Books
Fiction
| Pets
| Animals
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Humorous
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General
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Similar Items:
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Fancy Nancy
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Pinkalicious
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Someday
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Priscilla and the Pink Planet
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Pirates Don't Change Diapers
ASIN: 0060542136
Release Date: 2007-03-27 |
Book Description
Fancy Nancy is back! And when her family decides to get a dog, she's certain she can be fancier than ever. After all, a papillon—a small, delicate, fluffy dog—is the ultimate accessory. But her family wants a large, plain dog. How unglamorous!
With Fancy Nancy's trademark humor and warmth, Nancy discovers that real fanciness does not depend simply on appearance but more on a genuine joie de vivre, which is a fancy phrase for having lots of fun.
Customer Reviews:
A must for any little girl!.......2007-10-02
I got my daughter her first Fancy Nancy book when she turned 2, and now everything that is girly she calls fancy Nancy, shoes, purses and anything sparkley! Great to read for bedtime too. I can't wait for the next books to come out!
Printed in China XXXXXX .......2007-09-26
I Can't understand why the first book was printed in the USA and this one is printed in CHINA! Is there lead in this book like many of their toys??
I think Amazon should list this if this is the case
A very "posh" book!.......2007-09-26
I purchased Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy to go along with the original Fancy Nancy book for my 5 year old granddaughter . . . I had them sent directly to her house while I knew I would be visiting so we could open them together and start reading. My granddaughter loved them and I had to read them several times during our first sitting! The story is very cute and age-appropriate, and the illustrations and colors are perfect for little girls her age. I wish these books had been out when my girls were little! I love the word "posh" because I was born in the country where it's most popularly used.
MISSTELV.......2007-09-25
I bought this for my 4 year old grandaughter. She loves to dress up and play she is Fancy Nancy. The book is simply written and wonderful illustrated. I highly recommend it!
"I LOVE this book!" .......2007-09-15
That title is the opinion of my six-year-old granddaughter. She and her mom re-read it every night.
Book Description
Monday Morning Leadership is a story that can help your career! Everyone likes a good story, especially if there are lessons that can be immmediately applied to life. This book is one of those stories - about a manager and his mentor. It offers unique encouragement and direction that will help you become a better manager, employee, and person.
Customer Reviews:
Dynamite.......2007-09-24
They say dynamite comes in small packages. This little book is jammmed full of helpful hints for any business. The applications are very real and necessary still today in order take care of our most important assets, our employees. And at the same time continue to grow ourselves as better leaders. I highly recommend this book.
Must buy.......2007-08-17
Easy to read and really pulls things together. I enjoyed this book so much I've ordered 4 more of Cottrell's management/leadership books.
Excellent mentoring.......2007-08-10
Monday Morning Leadership is short and easy to read. Actually you can read it in one sitting. However, that does not lesson the value. Because the lessons are presented in such condensed fashion, they stand out. The lessons do not get lost in excess verbage.
There are excellent tips on the value of having the right employees and the high cost of having the wrong employees. Tony, the mentor, give sage advise about time management, taking responsibility and the need for managers to be aware of the needs of the employees.
Some of the better tips are: Everything you (as a manager) do matters.
People quit people before they quit companies.
...the primary reasons most executives fail are arrogance, out-of-control egos, and insensitivity.
The book finishes by stressing the importance of continual learning. Tony suggest reading 10 minutes per day. Personally I think you need to spend at least an hour per day on self-improvement with at least 30 minutes devoted to reading.
An excellent book, it can and should be read and referred to often.
Good Content; Poor Presentation.......2007-08-01
This book was required reading for a leadership class I took. It has a number of good pearls, and I am glad I read it. However, the presentation is horrible. It is written as if it is the transcription of two people having a series of conversations over coffee. The dialog between the two people seems contrived and repetitive, even belittling at times. In the end, I could have gotten just as much out of the book if it had been condensed to a two-page list of bulleted items.
Monday Morning Leadership: 8 Mentoring Sessions You Can't Afford to Miss.......2007-07-30
Excellent book. Quck and easy to read; very insightful. I have recommended it to others.
Average customer rating:
- A Mother's Storybook Wish for Her Child
- touching, to say the least
- made me cry
- Sweet Story of the Mother-Child Bond
- Someday
|
Someday
Alison McGhee
Manufacturer: Atheneum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Family Life
| People & Places
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Fiction
| Parents
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| Ages 4-8
| Children's Books
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| Ages 4-8
| Children's Books
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General
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| Children's Books
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McGhee, Alison
| ( M )
| Authors & Illustrators, A-Z
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
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Similar Items:
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I Will Hold You 'til You Sleep
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On the Night You Were Born
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Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy (Fancy Nancy)
-
Pinkalicious
-
Not a Box
ASIN: 1416928111 |
Book Description
A mother's love leads to a mother's dream -- every mother's dream -- for her child to live life to its fullest.
A deceptively simple, powerful ode to the potential of love and the potential in life, Someday is the book you'll want to share with someone else...today. The perfect gift for Mother's Day, Graduation Day or Any Day - share a copy with every special person in your life.
Customer Reviews:
A Mother's Storybook Wish for Her Child.......2007-10-04
SOMEDAY is a mother's heartfelt storybook wish for her child -- that her child will grow up healthy, experience great joys, and someday have a family of her own. It's also a wish that she will be lovingly remembered by her child ("Someday, a long time from now, your own hair will glow silver in the sun. And when that day comes, love, you will remember be.") The book is reminiscent of Robert Munsch's Love You Forever, but the storyline is simpler and more realistic. The illustrations complement the story beautifully. Highly recommended.
touching, to say the least.......2007-09-21
This book brings me to tears at the very thought of it. I got about 1/2 way through the darling pictures and wonderful, sweet words and the tears started. By the time I finished I was a mess. I'm sure it will touch every mother who reads it-it is definitely a book for a baby girl or daughter since the pictures depict a mother/daughter relationship.It's about the simple memories we make with our children that mean more than anything. It's also about the dreams we hold for them. I now have a FAVORITE new book, one that will definitely be bought for others as well. Don't miss this one!
made me cry.......2007-09-17
Takes you through birth-college-grandchildren-old age within a small book. As they say, kids grow up in the blink of an eye. Good for a pre-teen gift from mom to daugther. Very touching, probably how most moms feel about their daugthers.
Sweet Story of the Mother-Child Bond.......2007-09-15
I picked up this book in my local Toys-R-Us as my daughter picked among the Princess titles. I was looking for something special for an expecting friend and found it immediately in this book.
The book reminded me a little of "I'll Love You Forever" and "The Giving Tree" as it explores the changing relationship, and bonds as a child grows to adulthood.
The final page, when the mother imagines her own child with silver strands of hair, remembering her (the mother) was enough to bring me to tears in the store.
A beautiful book, not to be missed, a wonderful gift for mother and baby (not to mention one more useful and long lasting than similarly adorable baby bathrobes!)
Someday.......2007-09-14
Someday is a book that looks like a child's book but has an adult message. I gave one to each of our adult daughters. It has a beautiful message about the circle of life.
Book Description
At last a Spanish CD course which requires no reading and which teaches you to actually speak Spanish in a minimum of time and effort. The course also comes complete with a complete 207 page illustrated text with tapescript, same page answer keys and English translations for home review. Designed by the experts at Language Dynamics, 'Behind The Wheel Spanish For Your Car' takes the learner form basic to intermediate level Spanish without the guesswork and pain usually associated with language learning. An expert English speaking instructor talks you through these tapes in English while a trained professional native Latin American Spanish speaker teaches you Spanish the way it is really spoken.
Behind The Wheel Spanish For Your Car is the ideal way to learn Spanish while you drive because there is no confusion, no reading, no looking up meanings, and no guessing. It's all on the tapes. Use your commute time to effectively learn Spanish with this delightful course whose method will have you speaking your first words in Spanish within minutes of receiving your course, and enjoying it.
Customer Reviews:
review cd.......2007-10-01
I spend a lot of time in my car and now I can do someting productive while I sit in traffic.
Behind the Wheel Spanish.......2007-09-30
This is a detailed product that has made it easier for me to learn Spanish than what I have experienced through either formal classes or other products. I would recommend it to my friends.
Fun and Powerful.......2007-07-15
This course is a powerhouse course for learning spanish. So much useful vocabulary and conversational skills are covered in this course it is mind blowing. Mark's strategy is to use variable repetition to build a solid base on which to learn spanish and that magic is working on me. Mark has a solid sense of which words, phrases, sentence structures etc. are most used by english and spanish speaking folks alike, and he pounds them home till they become second nature.
It's all here, not just sentence building, but how to say the time, the days of the week, count into the millions, talk about the weather and a million other daily kinds of stuff humans around the world talk about or use in thier language on a daily basis.
Mark has made an excellent tool for learning Spanish available, it is now up me, the learner, to decide how far and how fast I want to utilize it.
In such a short while I am speaking in rudimentary ways to my Spanish friends, and they are stunned at my progress knowing that -truly- the extent of my Spanish was "adios" before beginning this course.
I hope that helps some of you decide.
all the best
Extremely Helpful.......2007-07-09
I am engaged to a Spanish man, who's entire family speaks Spanish most of the time. Using this program has really helped me get started on learning the language. Now when I am at family gatherings, I find myself understanding the gist of the conversations going on. I haven't finished the program yet, but I recommend this to anyone who wants to learn Spanish and has a long commute to work or spends a lot of time on the road.
Very Pleased!.......2007-07-04
I'm still on disk 1, but so far can say that I am well pleased. Pronunciation is clear and the lessons are very easy to follow. I'm looking forward to learning more spanish with these lessons.
Book Description
Meet Nancy, who believes that more is ALWAYS better when it comes to being fancy. From the top of her tiara down to her sparkly studded shoes, Nancy is determined to teach her family a thing or two about being fancy.
How Nancy transforms her parents and little sister for one enchanted evening makes for a story that is funny and warm -- with or without the frills.
Customer Reviews:
book "Fancy Nancy".......2007-10-02
WOW - the book came in just a few days. Great service. The book was in good shape and packaged well. THANK YOU!
Great Read.......2007-10-01
My 3 year old absolutely loves this book. The first time we checked it out from the library I didn't really think she cared for it much. But, then I happened to order it for one of her little friend's birthday and she was sooo excited! She ran around saying, "it's Fancy Nancy mommy!" It took some convincing to be able to wrap it up for her little friend. Everybody needs a little "fancy" in their life.
Great children's book.......2007-09-30
I bought this book for my four year old grandaughter and it is now her favorite book. We are now going to have a 'fancy' party at a local restaurant just like Fancy Nancy did. Well written with nice illustrations.
A very "fancy" book.......2007-09-26
I purchased two of the Fancy Nancy series for my 5 year old granddaughter - she loves them! When the book arrived, along with it's counterpart "Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy", she couldn't wait for us to read them together. She loved the story and the illustrations, and was attracted to the "girly" colors and the "before" and "after" drawings of Fancy's Nancy's bedroom! I think my granddaughter may be a "fancy" girl at heart!
I love it.......2007-09-16
I love this book. I don't know who loves it more. Me or my 2 and 4-year old daughters
Average customer rating:
- Beautiful Book
- Intriguing and beguiling
- Excellent Product & Prompt Delivery
- No Words!
- Wonderful book, all pictures but beautifully "told" story
|
Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book)
David Wiesner
Manufacturer: Clarion Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Fiction
| Marine Life
| Animals
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic
| Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Fiction
| Science, Nature & How It Works
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Fiction
| Nature
| Science, Nature & How It Works
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Picture Books
| Ages 4-8
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ages 4-8
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Wiesner, David
| ( W )
| Authors & Illustrators, A-Z
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General & Reference
| Technology
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
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Gone Wild (Caldecott Honor Book)
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The Higher Power of Lucky
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Rules (Newbery Honor Book)
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Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom (Caldecott Honor Book)
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Adele & Simon
ASIN: 0618194576 |
Book Description
A bright, science minded boy goes to the beach equipped to collect and examine flotsam--anything floating that has been washed ashore. Bottles, lost toys, small objects of every description are among his usual finds. But there's no way he could have prepared for one particular discovery: a barnacle-encrusted underwater camera, with its own secrets to share... and to keep.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful Book.......2007-09-27
This book is a wordless story appropriate for children of many ages. The pages are full of beautiful illustrations that actually tell a story without having to use words. It also gives children the opportunity to use their imaginations to some degree because they are not strictly told what happens. In it, a boy finds a camera washed up on shore and develops the film. The pictures reveal underwater fantasies in large, brightly colored images.
Intriguing and beguiling.......2007-09-20
When my wife first saw this in the bookstore, she called out, nearly shouting, "Look at this." One look wouldn't do - couldn't do! The detail and clever storytelling in this book are amazing. This book belongs on the shelf of every illustrated book lover.
Excellent Product & Prompt Delivery.......2007-09-15
This item was exactly as described in the item description. It was in the original packaging and is in excellent condition. I am very satisfied and I highly recommend this seller and product to everyone. This is an excellent book by an excellent author!
No Words!.......2007-08-27
This is a beautiful book. Great pictures. But, no words. My child was very confused when there were no words to read. It does allow you, however, to expand and make up a story. But, I would have liked to know that this book had no words before I bought it!
Wonderful book, all pictures but beautifully "told" story.......2007-08-16
This book generated much discussion among my kids and myself. Because there is no text, but amazingly detailed pictures telling this story, there is much room for theory and imagination oriented discussions.
Book Description
This highly sought after program with an international following provides thorough instruction on the intonation, stress, rhythm, and the sounds that work together to give American English its distinct "accent".
Produced by a speech-language pathologist with expertise at training all components of American English speech, this program imparts a wealth of insights and techniques, accompanied by clear graphics.
This new edition includes 8 CDs featuring a variety of male and female voices, and more conversational exercises. Interactive exercises use everyday language of social-casual to professional-business-technical situations.
The American Accent Guide is highly relevant to speakers of all language backgrounds who want to attain mastery on all aspects of English as commonly spoken in North America.
Customer Reviews:
It's the best!.......2007-03-14
I recently purchased this product. I haven't got immensed into it but from listening to the CDs, it's concise, and applicable to daily conversations. I especially like the fact that it used the voices of both male and female. Other products I've perused only use one gender. I would recommend this product to anyone who wants to speak standard American English.
A complement to Ann Cook's American Accent Training.......2007-01-17
I bought this book because although I can pronounce words perfectly in English, I still have some problems with intonation. I have used Ann Cook's American Accent Training but there were still things not really covered in her book. The American Accent Guide has only two chapters on the subject but the last chapter on Intonation is covered in a way that I had never seen and goes beyond Cooks' book. It's really good. I highly recommend it but if your main interest is on intonation, you should also buy the American Accent Training since the latter has more exercises on intonation. However, if you also have problems with the sounds of English, The American Accent Guide is the perfect book for you. Maybe the only one you will ever neeed. My wife who is a U.S. born American is not happy with the book because I'm really losing my Brazilian accent which she thinks is very sexy. She says I sound too much American now. Well, if you're like me, that's not a bad thing, is it? We can always work on the sexy part some other way.
An Excellent Work.......2007-01-09
This is a complete and well rounded work. Eventhough I have been living in the US for over 17 years and earned an AS and a BS, I found myself having difficulties in the pronunciation of the english words. I have gotten a lot of helps from my kids, however after applying the American Accent Guide to my daily routines for a couple months, I have been feeling a lot more confident to express myself. The digital media is professionally prepared and the speakers are pleasant and very well articulated. I used the cds in my car and also ripped them into my mp3 player to listen to when I am excercising and riding with someone.
The Accent guide has helped me to be more aware of the subtle nature of the English Language. If you would like to speak the American Idiom better and more fluently this is a great resource to have. It works!!!!
In terms of bang-per-buck, I think one will be hard-pressed to find a better investment........2007-01-05
This book and CD program provides a systematic and intuitive approach for ESL learners who wish to improve their English at their own pace. Good investment for the price.
First, my native language is Chinese. I have been in the US for six years; and have had no intensive training in English. I consider myself an average, or slightly above average, ESL learner. Like many native speakers of syllabic languages, I had a tendency to apply the stress and intonation patterns of my first language when speaking English. In addition, I used certain vowels interchangeably. Listening to radio or hiring a tutor did not help much because I still couldn't figure out what to listen for and how I should sound. I always felt uncertain when speaking English.
The American Accent Guide has definitely been a big help and is the most insightful material I have used. The lessons can work as individual modules, but if you go through them in order a few times you will see that the organization is integral to gradually raising your awareness of how the speech factors work together to form the American accent.
The American Accent Guide also does a great job in conveying the ideas through integrating visual and audio aids. The Rhythm section is a good example: the practice sentences come with markings to show the stress in sentences, and the CD walks you through sets of sentences that have the same rhythm structure, which brilliantly demonstrate the idea of how to use stress and rhythm to improve the flow of speaking. It's really a very intuitive and effective approach that helps with both speaking and listening comprehension.
Another strength of the material is that the practice sentences are quite useful in daily life, unlike many ESL textbooks with phrases that have little practical use and get boring after a few repetitions.
In short, the American Accent Guide is a well thought-out and executed study guide for ESL students of all levels One can listen to it again and again and each time learn something new to work on. In terms of bang-per-buck, I think one will be hard-pressed to find a better investment.
A very good treatment of intonation.......2006-11-23
After looking through the contents of the book and the amount of information it contained I was more than eager to buy it. After all, all that I needed for my pronunciation classes was there: comprehensive charts and graphs , streamlined layout, IPA symbols, grapheme-phoneme correspondence tables for problem areas such as the long / i / sound, and on top of that, a package with 8 CD's in a neatly-enclosed folder. Yet, oddly enough, I felt like something was missing. Then I reached the last chapters. "Boy, there's something new here," I thought. Very few authors have treated intonation this well: The attitudinal / emotional aspect of intonation is explored at length: higher pitch tones for heightened emotions and politeness. Swinging pitch inflections and slightly rising inflections for casualness. Longer pauses for the expression of meaning. So, although I think some of the sound discrimination exercises may lack creativity and sometimes fall short of raising students'awareness , the last chapters saved the day and may explain why shelling out over US$ 60 for this manual might have been a good decision after all.
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