Average customer rating:
- A Must Read Book
- If you focus, plan, prioritize, organize, and manage your time, then you can make up for a weak working memory.
- Next to Collins & Buckingham
- Interesting Ideas Presented
- If you read no other management book this year...
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Smarts: Are We Hardwired for Success?
Chuck Martin ,
Peg Dawson , and
Richard Guare
Manufacturer: AMACOM/American Management Association
ProductGroup: Book
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ASIN: 0814409067 |
Book Description
Twelve specific and very important cognitive functions begin developing in the brain at birth. These "skills" are built in to every individual and are fully developed -- and unchangeable -- by adulthood. Everyone has these same capabilities, but to varying degrees. And it is this unique and unalterable combination of one's strengths and weaknesses that determines success or failure in any given role.
Smarts contains the groundbreaking Executive Skills Profile: a powerful self-assessment tool that will identify, once and for all, a person's innate strengths and weaknesses. The results offer tangible proof of why we gravitate to certain tasks and struggle with others. With this newfound clarity, readers will learn to play to their stronger skills, and avoid wasting time on lesser ones they can never improve upon. Most important, they will discover their own unique potential for excellence.
Supported by proprietary primary research and grounded in widely accepted principles of clinical and neuro-psychology, Smarts is a truly eye-opening book that will change how we think about ourselves -- and others.
Customer Reviews:
A Must Read Book.......2007-09-25
This is truly an amazing book. It delivers such simple answers for such complex problems. This book demonstrates how all people have executive strengths and weaknesses and they are the basis of who you are. Its amazing to learn that you simply cannot change. You are the way you are and this book does an extremely good job of demonstrating that.
If you ever wondered why some people are always late or why some people have a better memory then you might - this is your book. I now have a different appreciation for other people, now realizing that they cant help the way they are any more then i can. Every person has three weaknesses and three strenghts and after reading this book you can learn to strenthen your strenghts and control your weaknesses. This book is an easy read but a real eye opener to anyone out there.
I guarantee you will not look at the world the same.
If you focus, plan, prioritize, organize, and manage your time, then you can make up for a weak working memory........2007-09-13
This was a very well organized book. Its writing was clear, but at times a little repetitive. It identifies 12 traits a person can have or master in order to function in society. They are:
1. Self-Restraint
2. Working Memory
3. Emotion Control
4. Focus
5. Task Initiation
6. Planning and Prioritization
7. Organization
8. Time Management
9. Defining and Achieving Goals
10. Flexibility
11. Observation
12. Stress Tolerance
I thought all the traits were well defined and described. And the authors' description of the normal interrelationship between the different traits was consistent with what I would expect. And I very much liked the way the authors focused on how someone can evaluate himself or herself so they can better understand themselves and how they function in society. But the authors don't stop there. They then explain how a manager or leader can evaluate their subordinates' traits so they can use those subordinates in a more efficient manner and keep them happier. Good job!
If I could stop this review now, then I would give this book a 5 star rating. However, I did not like the way the authors called the 12 traits - 12 SKILLS. While I agree that #s 1 and 3-12 are skills, or at least they can be called skills. I don't agree that Working Memory is a skill. I believe it is an "ability" much like a memory chip is in a computer. Either you have the memory or you don't. Practice isn't going to make it better.
Since the authors call most of these traits skills, and I believe skills can be improved with practice, I had a problem with their assertion that adults cannot improve these skills when functioning as adults in society. The book preaches that we should figure out which of our 12 traits we are strong and weak at. Then accept that as unchangeable and play up the strong and try to prop up the weak. I think this is a bad message to send to the readers.
Throwing a baseball is a skill. If you want to throw well, then you practice throwing a baseball. Running is a skill. And if you want to run a sub-3-hour marathon, then you do a lot of running to improve that skill. Reading is a skill. And if you want to read fast, then you read a lot and you WILL get faster. In my humble opinion, the authors are plain wrong in saying that skills 1 and 3-12 cannot be improved with practice. But the book has its good points. 4 stars!
Next to Collins & Buckingham.......2007-05-24
This is the most scientific, practical and applicable management book I have read in the last 5 years. It complements the work of Jim Collins and Marcus Buckingham, and makes them more usable and implementable.
All reviewers, readers, and professionals agree that it is one of the most helpful book they read lately. I just wonder why it didn't stay for long on the top 10 and 100 bestsellers list. It is obvious that publishers, media, and marketing make the list, not: value or substance. I recommend Martin's book to all management practitioners. Even Neuroscience advocates can use it to prove their theory true.
Interesting Ideas Presented.......2007-05-17
I thought the executive skills assessments were fantastic and found the book to be right on the money (at least with my skill set).
I do question the view that one's executive skills "never change". I think it's the sociology background I have and the thinking of "nurture" over "nature" inherent with that view. I still think people can change completely, even to the point of flip-flopping executive skills. I would like to see more hard data and studies done to prove or disprove this.
Otherwise, the book presented ideas that were not only interesting but very applicable to almost anyone, no matter your background or class.
If you read no other management book this year..........2007-04-24
Here's my take on this book: I already believe in excellence; I want to know how to achieve it for myself and build it in others. This book does that.
Martin, et al., use a scientific research approach to self-evaluation and overcoming weaknesses in one's self and team members based upon recognition of how our brains are wired. The mix of science and practical application is a breath of fresh air! For example: I've already applied their strategy for overcoming my chronic lateness to meetings (yes, it s about my fear of being unproductive).
I find most business excellence books to be long on inspiration and short on useful tools. This book has so much meat to it that I'm going use in my work and in my studies. The evaluation tools, teaching skills suggestions and skills alignment concepts are all immediately transferable to my work context. The executive skills concepts certainly bear more research and study as to how this thinking impacts the art/science of management theory as well.
In summary, I generally find few business press books to be of enduring value, but I think Martin and colleagues have written an important one in SMARTS. I think they have really broken new ground in management science thinking, and I am looking forward to applying SMARTS wherever possible in work and life.
Book Description
** COMPLETELY UNAUTHORIZED **
The science-fiction television series Battlestar Galactica is known for raising thought-provoking questions concerning martial law, artificial intelligence, power and corruption, and ultimately what it means to be human. What ethical complexities come into play when one mistake could mean the anihilation of the human race? How do you maintain faith in the Gods when you're involved in an Armageddon of your own creation? What is the distinction between a terrorist and a freedom fighter? These questions are given an intelligent and insightful examination in this engaging collection of essays.
Customer Reviews:
Good - but too much "religion"........2007-03-29
I really enjoyed reading the essays in this book. I'm a regular watcher of Battlestar and thought these essays added something to the shows as I watched! I did get a little tired of reading all the "religion" essays (monotheism, polytheism of Colonials, etc.). I ended up skipping one or two of those. There were a couple of creative and fictional essays as well. I recommend this for true Battlestar fans.
Thoughtful Essays.......2007-03-13
Overall well-written, thoughtful essays, on a variety of aspects of the show - religion, gender roles, the media, politics, psychology.
A few too many of them focused on the show's relevance to current politics, which, please, I am SO tired of people on both sides of the Iraq War fussing at how some movie or TV show is so "liberal" or so "conservative," didn't anyone ever hear about classical themes?
I would have liked more humor, even given the general darkness of the show. The only "funny" essay was the one that placed characters into different jobs, which I thought was thoroughly un-funny, and the weakest essay of the book. I liked the inclusion of a negative essay, a bold move but one that made me appreciate the updated show more.
Loved the Essays.......2007-02-20
Husband and I both had great discussions due to the thought provoking nature of these essays. Enjoyed Immensely!!
Challenges you, just like the show. Way better than the "official guides".......2007-01-20
I recently purchased both season 1 and season 2 "official guides" and was immediately disappointed by the lack of intelligent content. There were a few tidbits of information about the producers' perception and experiences in creating specific episodes, but I was so disappointed by a lack of meaty material and the excessive number of PR photos which showed us nothing new about the show, the actors or the creative process.
Battlestar Galactica reminds me a little bit of how The Simpsons is always saying more than you think. You watch and you know there's something metaphorical going on, but not sure what it is at all times. That's why the official Simpsons guides are so great - the point out the references and allusions you might have missed.
This supposed "unauthorized" collection of thoughts and opinions has the content I was looking for. Right out of the gate the first writer, Eric Greene, talks about terrorism, 9-11, human rights and a myriad of current events and how they're dealt with in the show. It challenges you. For example, as admirable as President Roslin is, she clearly violates her stated beliefs of supporting democracy. Just like the show, the author doesn't let you off the hook. It demands that you look at the situation in its entirety and admit that maybe what you emotionally want isn't exactly what you say you believe.
This first essay even offers a few examples of metaphor that I know I missed entirely. The assassination of Boomer on Galactica? Think 1963 in a parking garage when a man named Jack Ruby decides to take matters into his own hands.
"So Say We All" even pushes the buttons of its own audience by including an essay entitled "GINO" or "Galactica in Name Only." It's an in your face negative review of the modern BSG and praise of the original (which I personally find to be campy nonsense). I have to respect a book more when it's willing to include material that bashes the very show it's trying to praise.
That's the kind of content I wanted from the "official guides." BSG is a political show for our times. At times it's liberal, at times it's conservative, at times it's in the middle. Part of that process is not taking the easy route. It means challenging its audience to think and examine their own beliefs. And that's exactly what "So Say We All" does as a book. I highly recommend it.
Thought provocing and fun.......2007-01-11
Being a huge fan of the 78 series, I was interested in the "remake" of Battlestar. Needless to say, I am completly hooked. I recieved this book for Christmas, as sort of a joke from my family. The book is very interesting with essays from all sorts of people who are highly respected by their peers. I found the stories to be thought provoking, insightful and some of them are very funny. I am glad that I got this book and have enjoyed reading it. One essay is wrong on the cylon numbers but can be forgiven by the overall subject.
Book Description
For true innovation, you may need to think outside the box-and outside the company.
Innovation is vital to the success of an organization. But often, "GroupThink" and "ExpertThink" stifle new ideas. This book presents the idea of using outsiders-people who are not a permanent part of a particular group or constrained by its preconceptions-to stimulate innovation. They may be employees from other parts of the company, consultants, or even people borrowed through "swaps" with other, noncompeting companies. These outsiders share three characteristics:
* related expertise: knowledge without the burden of "the way we've always done it" * renaissance tendencies: varied interests and experiences, with the ability to put ideas together in new and useful combinations * psychological distance: they are not tied to the hierarchy of the group, making it easier to propose unpopular ideas
Outsiders can help defeat the kind of thinking that can overcome teams and kill true innovation. The author reveals how to find and work with the right people and shows, through fascinating real-world examples, the huge difference they can make.
Customer Reviews:
Fresh innovation advice: think outside the gravity.......2007-04-05
This is a lively book. As befits its central image, the "Zero-Gravity Thinker," it moves lightly, traveling without friction through the challenging thicket of innovation. Cynthia Barton Rabe defines innovation simply and focuses on its human side. While her book does not provide specific guidance about what processes to use, or tell you how to innovate in your industry, it is an immediately applicable, solid introduction you can use to promote innovation. Rabe's creative successes (she was part of the team that introduced the Energizer Bunny) illustrate her points well. Her stories about skilled leaders who failed to innovate though they had the right training and personnel go a long way toward proving her central claim: Organizational attitudes blocking innovation are the main reason people don't innovate more often. We recommend this book to all those who are eager to innovate, and ready and willing to shake up their organizational structures to do so.
A good book for those commit to innovate!.......2006-12-28
The author, an innovation and strategy consultant, promoted in this book her concept of bringing in Zero Gravity Thinkers (outsiders with "psychological distance" from the team, "renaissance tendencies" (broad interests and capabilities) and "related expertise") to stimulate innovation by disrupting GroupThink (tendency to make decisions like the people with whom we work most closely) and ExpertThink (tendency to go along with the tried and true methods of experts). Frankly, I like very much her detailed elaboration and good choice of cases (esp the Naked Emperor and the Bluetooth). However, I doubt whether those companies in need of innovation the most could accept this concept and undertake the change. Quote from JC Penny, "The theory is splendid, but until put into practice is it valueless." Anyway, this is a good book for those who commit to innovate. Recommended!
p.s. Below please find some of my favorite quotes in the book for your reference:-
Insanity in individuals is something rare - but in groups, parties, nations, and epochs, it is the rule. Friedrich Nietzsche pg 23
Alfred Sloan, who ran GM from 1923 to 1956, was onto something when he said at a meeting, "Gentlemen, I take it that we are all in complete agreement on the decision here. Then I propose that we postpone further discussion...to give ourselves time to develop disagreement and perhaps gain some understanding of what the decision is all about." pg 39
The world hates change, yet it is the only thing that has brought progress. - C.F. Kettering pg 143
The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself; to be conquered by yourself is of all things most shameful and vile. - Plato pg 157
Promotes the concept of the 'zero-gravity thinker'.......2006-10-16
Companies rely on established procedures and knowledge to streamline and drive business - but what happens to innovation in the process? Often it's squashed, taking with it flexibility and quick responses, risk taking, and acceptance of change. THE INNOVATION KILLER: HOW WHAT WE KNOW LIMITS WHAT WE CAN IMAGINE-AND WHAT SMART COMPANIES ARE DOING ABOUT IT promotes the concept of the 'zero-gravity thinker' not weighed down by group processes or expert opinions. Chapters provide case histories to illustrate the hidden costs of conducting business in manners too routine to encourage innovation.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
How to overcome GroupThink and ExpertThink.......2006-10-13
Rabe defines innovation as "an application of an idea that results in a valuable improvement." Her definition emphasizes that the ability to think innovatively should be a goal for every function in an organization - not just the new product or technology team. As she correctly observes, there is a process by which ideas become reality in most organizations. "First there is typically a challenge or opportunity to be addressed. Then someone comes up with an idea for addressing it. A stage of development or fine-tuning typically follows (this can be very short or, in the case of some product or technology innovations, very long) in order to apply the idea. The final result? An innovation." One of her most interesting - and most valuable - concepts is of what she calls "Zero-Gravity Thinkers." The title of her book refers to the most common barriers to innovation: practicioners of GroupThink ("the strongest force on earth") and ExpertThink ("GroupThink on steroids"). They establish and then vigorously defend all manner of "filters" to diminish if not "kill" any perceived threats to the status quo. Rabe concedes that Zero-Gravity Thinkers aren't a "magic solution" to such barriers because "there is no cure-all for a stuck-in-the mud organization." However, they are a high-value tool when recognizing and then responding effectively to the aforementioned "filters."
Of special interest to many readers is what Rabe has to say about the leadership required when "going where no one has gone before." She does not limit her attention to leadership at the senior-management level. On the contrary, she convincingly explains why innovation leadership must be present at all levels and throughout all areas of an organization. Moreover, given the well-entrenched and highly-efficient "filters," the nature of the leadership required must itself be innovative. It must take into full account, for example, the perils of challenging traditional chains of authority and channels of communication. This is precisely what Jim O'Toole has in mind when discussing (in Leading Change) what he characterizes as "the ideology of comfort and the tyranny of custom." The power of GroupThink and ExpertThink must never be under-estimated. When necessary, effective leaders of innovation initiatives are courageous enough to ignore convention and act on their own intuition and rational arguments of those outside the given organization. Also, they are prudent but not risk-adverse. They never state or even imply that innovative thinking is acceptable only without the possibility of failure. What Rabe offers in this volume is a rigorous and thorough examination of who and what can "kill" innovation...and offers practical advice as to how to respond effectively and productively when opposed by them.
Good start to help innovation.......2006-09-22
There are some good key points to take away from Innovation Killer. Cynthia Rabe spent much of her career in Intel then left to start her own innovation firm. The book uses basic ideas that can take away from or lead to innovation. The book was a quick read which I would recommend based on the fact that people tend to get caught hung up in the mistakes that take away from innovation.
The ideas that bother her the most are GroupThink and ExpertThink which she describes "as groupthink on steroids". Groupthink is the idea that everyone in the group will follow the majority. The weaker group members will not dissent because the majority commands the choices. ExpertThink means the same thing except there is a person that is highly qualified that leads the group into a bad idea. The group will not speak up because the "expert" could be there boss. These are two common mistakes and Rabe shows plenty of examples to get her point across.
The entire premise of the book focuses on Zero Gravity Thinkers. A Zero Gravity Thinker (ZGT) is well rounded in three areas that set him/her apart from the group. The first is psychological distance. This means there is an objective thinker set apart from the group so his/her decision is not influenced by the group (groupthink). The next is renaissance tendencies meaning the person is well rounded is several areas and never stops learning new ideas. This is good because the ZGT can link ideas together easier than other group members. Then to finish the cycle there is related expertise. This is the one that does not flow with the other two areas. Rabe says that it is good to be naïve sometimes. The related expert can link his field with the group's field then it is good for innovation.
The last section of the book details how a ZGT fits into the group and can help innovation. She discusses Big Picture problems that a ZGT can help with and that hiring consultants can help innovation. The ninth chapter in the book tells how to work with a ZGT. She discusses a process that should be followed or include some of the steps to help promote innovation. The last chapter tells the reader how to help become a ZGT.
The book as a whole became repetitive at times, but it was a quick read that can help many people that are stuck in a rut and will not move. The book is definitely easier to read if you have studied innovation and the other ideas discussed in the book. I would recommend the book because it can help and everyone should understand how to avoid killing innovation. I take a star away because the book did a get repetitive that is the only reason; the repetition does not slow the book, but I have studied these ideas for the past year so I became a little bored with it.
Customer Reviews:
Shows How We Are All Smart in Unique Ways.......2007-09-07
When Puerto Rican percussionist Tito Puente was a boy, he'd bang on cans and walls in the house. Instead of scolding him, his mother bought him a drum kit. Her support paid off: Tito grew up to become a drumming legend, winning six Grammy Awards for musical excellence.
"How We Are Smart" profiles 12 famous Americans from many different ethnic and social backgrounds who were all smart in different kinds of ways. Each profile honors a person who applied his or her talents and achieved outstanding things.
According to psychologists Howard Gardner and Thomas Armstrong, there are eight kinds of smarts: LOGIC SMART: Solving difficult problems with language or numbers; BODY SMART: Using our body to solve problems or communicate ideas; MUSIC SMART: Being aware of nonverbal sounds in our surroundings; NATURE SMART: Classifying things and understanding the environment; PEOPLE SMART: Being aware of the moods, feelings and desires of others; PICTURE SMART: Creating mental images of what we're thinking about; SELF SMART: Having a good knowledge of our own strengths and weaknesses; WORD SMART: Being good at spoken and written languages.
The inspiring biographies in this book will help kids and adults recognize and value unique talents and abilities belonging to selves and others.
Book Description
This book is for a mother of preschoolers who wants time out to better care for herself, her family, and her friends. Do the start up in one hour with three friends. Then slowly have others join. When you get ten-moms you will always be able to count on a sitter. With ten moms you are also free to be a sitter when the time works with your schedule. It is all done with points and one call to the secretary--no hunting for a sitter. You serve one month as secretary on rotation with ten other moms. No pleas for help. No guilt. It works on autopilot. It is based on a Baby-sitting Co-op that has been passed from mom to mom for over twenty years. Quick reading. Well organized and humorous. The book is best in catagory!
Customer Reviews:
A must have for moms who need babysitters!!.......2005-03-16
I found out about this book and the idea of a co-op when the author, Gary Myers, and his wife, Patty, came and spoke at our MOPS meeting. I was hooked on the idea of free time for me and appointments without my son. I was new to our area and had no baby-sitting options at that time. Two ladies from our MOPS group took control and had our co-op up and running within one month and we had 16 moms. Our co-op has been working great for 5 months and has grown to 19 moms, with many more interested.
I highly recommend using this book as a guideline, as it lays out rules you may not have thought of, plus, if there is ever a question or problem- you just refer to the book. There is a "business" side to running a large co-op and to keep things going smooth- that's where the book comes in. It is also filled with all of the paperwork and you get access to the Smart Mom's website for free downloads of the paperwork (you have to have the book which gives you the password to print the downloads). For more info I would recommend checking out their website at www.babysittingcoop.com. You can also order books from there for $15 or less- depending on how many you order- and call the 800 number. Hope this review helps you moms looking for a co-op!
Practical Guide for Getting Started.......2004-07-20
I am starting a babysitting cooperative and have found this book quite helpful. It contains many practical tips, rules and suggestions that have clearly resulted from years of experience with cooperatives. Using the book as a guide, I hope to avoid pitfalls and oversights I might otherwise have made.
Great resource!.......2001-02-12
I was interested in starting a coop, but didn't know how to iron out all the details. Fortunately, I found this book and it answered all my questions. It is very, very thorough and detailed. And it really has some excellent suggestions that one might not think of when starting a coop, like making sure each member has homeowners liability insurance and doing a safety check. If you buy the book, you also get access to a special web site with lots of useful forms to download. You really don't have to do much work at all. I am advertising my coop now, and am so glad I found this resource.
My only problem with the book is that I don't like the secretary method, where you call one person to book the babysitting, and this book really only describes that option. (The book seems to be written for stay-at-home moms, and I am starting a working mom's coop.) But it's thorough enough that I feel I can adapt it for my needs. I'd definitely recommend it highly to anyone interested in starting a coop.
Smart Mom's Baby-sitting Co-op Handbook.......2000-06-11
Best book in catagory--I did my research! I did a Baby-sitting Co-op in one hour with three friends using this handbook. (it has everything you need already laid out). We have invited ten more moms to join us. We have time-out because a sitter will always be available--I can schedule a doctor's appointment on the spot. I only do sits in my home when it fits my schedule. We make one call to the secretary serving her turn--no hunting for a sitter. The book is well writen, easy to follow and provids everything I need. I serve as secretary one-month in rotation with 12 other moms. I started the co-op but I am never asked to do anything more. I cannot say enough about how the Co-op has helped--step-by-step. My kids have playmates and I have time out when I want it. I love my new friends. This is a great thing for any mother of preschoolers! It is a good thing to do for your neighborhood.
A "must read" for aspiring baby-sitting co-op participants........2000-06-06
One of the fundamental problems facing all parents is that of safe, reliable, competent child care. Now there is an effective, informative, "parent friendly" guide to developing and sustaining good babysitting resources and arrangements through the development of a "parents co-operative", a mutual arrangement of mothers of preschoolers to give each other a little time to themselves for getting out and about to do the things they need and want to accomplish, and can't take the kids along with them. In Smart Mom's Baby-Sitting Co-Op Handbook, Gary Myers shows how the reader how easy it is to start, maintain and operate a safe, "parent friendly" child-secure, babysitting co-op, anywhere, anytime, for any number of moms.
Average customer rating:
- Christian Discipleship Explained With God's Word
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When We Get It Wrong (pb)
Smart Dominic
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Grace, Faith, and Glory: Freedom in Christ
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Living the Cross Centered Life: Keeping the Gospel the Main Thing
ASIN: 1850783780 |
Book Description
James Fraser was only twentytwo when he abandoned a promising career and went to China. At first sight of the Lisu tribes people of Yunnan province he felt an immediate affection for them and for the rest of his life he labored to bring them to Christ and to Christian maturity. Eileen Crossman has brought him to life for todayrsquo;s readers in this superb biography which reveals the secret of his success.
Customer Reviews:
Christian Discipleship Explained With God's Word.......2002-09-17
Mr. Smart's Biblical insights are refreshing. He uses the Scripture "In Christ" masterfully to describe our lives as Christians.
This book is a beautiful reminder that when we mess our lives up, we have a Savior who lived perfectly for us. We have nothing to fear for our Savior lived, died, and rose again that we might live forever with him in heaven.
This book is a blessing.
Book Description
** COMPLETELY UNAUTHORIZED **
The staying power of the world’s most dashing secret agent and the evolution of the James Bond franchise are explored in this smart yet nostalgic collection of essays. Leading writers, including Raymond Benson, J. A. Konrath, Raelynn Hillhouse, and John Cox, discuss the 10 sexiest Bond girls, the best villains, and the controversy surrounding the latest actor to play James Bond. Topics covered range from the playful—how to build a secret lair and avoid the perennial mistakes made by would-be world dominators—to the thought-provoking, such as Bond’s place in the modern world, his Oedipal tendencies and perceived misogyny, and the unerring allure of the charming spy.
Customer Reviews:
Nice to see there are others who think way too much about the James Bond books and movies.......2006-11-30
I'm a sucker for lofty treatments of popular subjects (I loved all those American Studies courses I took in college), so this book was a fun ride. Actually, it's not all that lofty... just light little essays, appreciations, and riffs about the James Bond books and movies. The pieces are mostly on the humorous side (successfully humorous for the most part, thankfully), though there are a couple of pretty interesting straight-forward pieces about different aspects of the Bond literary and filmic canon. One essay, for example, proposes that there are major Oedipal themes in the movie "Goldfinger", and damn if the author's examples didn't have me nodding in agreement.
The book is about 200 pages long and composed of ten or so essays (about eight to ten pages each), with a few one or two page jokey/light pieces (mostly revolving around James Bond's eating and drinking habits and, of course, his enthusiastic pursuit of the opposite sex) scattered among the longer offerings. So, for a week or so, it was pleasant fun to read one or two pieces each night before bed.
Finally, for a small-press book with a light popular-culture bent, "James Bond in the 21st Century" is well organized, nicely edited, and almost completely free of typos. You see, regardless of whether they contain material worth reading, small-press books on "gee whiz/geeky" popular culture topics such as this one are notorious for their lack of production polish and overall amateur air. However, this book was refreshingly free of the "amateur hour" production quality of many trade paperbacks of this type.
The good content and solid production of this title make me want to check out other offerings in the "Smart Pop" series.
Amazon.com
Psychologist Janie Ward has written an insightful and brave book about parenting African American teenagers. The Skin We're In addresses the gap between "black baby boomer parents" and their hip-hop children, offering sound strategies to help adolescents gain confidence about their racial identity and to recognize and resist racism. Ward's portrait of parenting in the post civil rights era is fair and unflinching. She suggests that the new racism ("being pulled over for driving black") demands a new approach. Resistance used to be in the street, but now it's in the mind, says Ward. As she explains, "The African American family can provide a safe and loving context--a home space--in which our adolescents can question the social inequities they see." Ward frames healthy resistance to racism in terms of four habits of mind (name it, read it, oppose it, replace it) that can be learned and practiced in the family circle. This model is illustrated with vivid, moving anecdotes and annotated parent-teen dialogues. Her approach urges parents to combine elements of the dominant culture and traditional black culture by drawing upon the rich legacies of social activism and spiritual and folk wisdom.
Ward also addresses challenges on the street and at school for teens including coping with sex, friendship, materialism and low expectations at school. Two compelling chapters focus on gender issues, for example, how to steer boys away from the "tough guy" or "player" stereotypes and how to guide girls to discover their unique beauty in our "light, long, and lean" culture. In Ward's view, race defines the parenting process for African American families. An illuminating guide to creating a confident and vibrant racial identity, The Skin We're In offers parents and educators counsel that is both streetwise and spiritual. --Barbara Mackoff
Book Description
Shepherding children through the demanding years of adolescence can be a struggle for any parent. But black parents must also help their children confront the psychological fallout of racism. With this in mind, Dr. Janie Ward, who spent fifteen years researching the moral and psychological development of African-American boys and girls, offers parents a comprehensive four-step program -- Name it, Read it, Oppose it, Replace it -- that provides strategies for healthy resistance to negative social influences and complacency in children throughout the formative years. Ward offers parents advice on such topics as:
- Helping boys deal with and control emotions like anger, frustration, and fear
- Encouraging girls to appreciate their growing bodies for more than just looks, and to develop a healthy sense of identity
- Developing skills in teens that allow them to act effectively in social, academic, and business settings
- Teaching children to resist the power of peer pressure from those in their communities who believe there is only one way to be black
- Convincing teens that it is essential to develop their spirituality and participate in a spiritual community
Customer Reviews:
Guidelines For Parenting African American Youth.......2002-03-09
The Skin We're In is the most compelling book I've read about race and raising children. The author, Janie Victoria Ward, Ed.D. has written her fourth book about raising emotionally strong, socially smart and spiritually connected African American youth. Ward spent years researching the moral and psychological development of African American boys and girls. Through her research she conducted a study of actual interviews and discussions with African American Youth and their parents. What she wanted to know was how did the tasks of parenting relate to the forces of racism. Her study and discussions is the basis for this book.
Beginning with the introduction we're given insight into Ward's comprehensive four-step program-Name It, Read It, Oppose It, Replace It, which are strategies used to promote healthy resistances to negative social influences that affect our African American children. In chapter four we're given detailed information about Ward's comprehensive four-step program. Each step is defined and followed by written scripts taken during her interviews and discussions with the youths and their parents.
Ward tackles some of the tough issues that confront our African American youth today such as dating, peer pressure and racism. What is interesting to note, is Ward's practical advice that she offers to parents on topics such as "Teaching our children to love themselves" and "Stressing racial pride". In no way does she sound preachy. She continuously stresses how important it is for parents to talk to their children about racial matters. One such way is to share your own stories of resistances with your children. This one point is like a beam of light that takes you through the entire book.
Ward brilliantly delivers her powerful comprehensive four-step resistance model with ease. Her message is clear and not written in a textbook style. Her writing is empowering from beginning to end.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It is a good resource book. What grabbed me was the resource guide in the back of the book. The guide features lists of books, websites and videos that empower black families. I highly recommend this book to all parents, grandparents and caregivers involved with raising African American children.
Reviewed by Dorothy Cooperwood
A Call for Black Pride.......2001-09-26
Like Beverely Tatutum's "Why Are All the Black Kinds Sitting Together in the Cafteria?", Ms. Ward's work is a much needed call for Black cultural identity develoopment on the part of children of African descent. For too many Black children and teens in this country are experiencing an identity crisis--whereby hip-hop identity is associated with gangsterism and being smart is equated with being White. Ward's work calls for Black culture to be used as tool for Black achievement and identity. The only missing part of this book is practical suggestions or strategies that parents could use to help their children develop Black cultural consciousness. A sort of resource book or workbook would be useful companion to her work.
Teaching Our Children.......2000-12-02
Negotiating a racist social landscape is the prime stumbling block to the success of African-American young people. How do parents equip their children for this daunting task? Dr. Ward's book is a significant tool. It offers concrete strategies for parents and illuminates the struggle with engrossing interviews. Dr. Ward's book should be read by all but her model for resistance should be embraced by anyone affected by racism.
Book Description
A proven system for ensuring that your business is productive--not just busy!
Coauthored by the president and CEO of the prestigious international consulting firm Psychological Associates, Why Can't We Get Anything Done Around Here? Shows business leaders how to get bottom-line results with new methods for designing and implementing business strategies. These proven methods will help any business:
- Zero in on tasks essential to company success and assign them to the right people
- Motivate employees to achieve and maintain crisis-level performance without crisislevel stress and burnout
- Match tasks with technical, interpersonal, and decision-making skills
Customer Reviews:
A Good Read!.......2004-04-22
Do you feel that your employees just don't grapple with the tasks at hand? Take heart. This handbook offers one way to solve one of the major conundrums of modern management: how do we get things done? Authors Robert E. Lefton and Jerome T. Loeb focus on a productivity-oriented Task Management Model that requires managers to categorize employees along a spectrum of capabilities, including which jobs they like best and do well. Then, the model helps managers understand their own leadership styles and assign the right tasks to the right people to increase efficiency. The book cites examples of its model in use, but it is short on analysis, insights and detailed cases. However, .We think it would be useful to managers and human resources professionals in large organizations who need a quick way to categorize staff members in hopes of improving productivity.
Average customer rating:
- Almost like a daily devotional
- Sweet, loving & all too true
- Paws Of Wisdom
- An excellent read-Cheryl Ellis Allbooks Review
- Paws of Wisdom
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Paws of Wisdom: Valuable Lessons We Can Learn from Our Pets
Sofia Steryo-bartmus
Manufacturer: Harmony Book Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Personal Health
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Relationships
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Personal Transformation
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Pet Loss
| Death & Grief
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Dogs
| Animal Care & Pets
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Animal Care & Pets
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Personal Transformation
| Spirituality
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0977095509
Release Date: 2005-11-30 |
Product Description
The book narrates the story of "Bunny" (a dog) who for 13 years suffered from Addison's disease and took part on experimental drugs/injections-thus helping other animals in the future. The book intertwines humorous illustrations with "Bunny's Wisdom", based on her behavior, with the Wisdom observed by her owner (the author). Most of those observations are backed up by quotes from other cultures around the world and the Bible. The purpose of the book is to illustrate that we can acquire wisdom if we paid more attention on what our pets teach us, and if we applied those lessons we can live a more satisfying and rewarding life. We would live a life filled with gratitude, laughter, happiness, trust, love, loyalty, patience and persistence. It also includes a Resource Guide to help maintain the health of your pets.
Customer Reviews:
Almost like a daily devotional.......2007-08-28
I don't have any pets. Except for a gorilla--George--who is cuddly and stuffed. So I read Sofia's book with a bit of trepidation. But I've got to tell you, this is a book you'll fall in love with. And you'll fall in love with Bunny, too. After the first chapter I wanted to know more about Bunny. As I read the book, I felt I knew her. She became part of my family. The book is almost like a daily devotional. The chapters are short and to the point, each of them pointing out a challenge or word of inspiration we can use for that day--opportunities, empathy, consistency, forgiveness, fear, laughter, patience, listening, loving. Sofia has written her book from her point of view, looking at the world through the eyes of her pet. It's a great reminder how therapeutic a pet can be and how a pet can forge strong bonds of affection and wisdom with us humans. Even for a non-pet person, I found this a good book to curl up with and learn from.
Sweet, loving & all too true.......2007-08-21
Brought tears to my eyes...this beautiful, well-written book is all about love. I've often said that if humans acted more like animals the world would be a better place. This books helps prove that. As I was reading it, my cat sat purring on my lap, just happy to be w/ me making no demands. Wouldn't it be great if humans were all like that? An immensely enjoyable book w/ wonderful quotes & thought provoking wisdom from Bunny.
Paws Of Wisdom.......2007-07-30
This is a delightfully written book by Sophia Steryo-Bartmus with intuitive insights into the lives and behaviors of pets. The author writes how humans can learn about life just by observing their pets. It's a book that is entertaining, touching and thought provoking. It is a self help book in that lessons about life can be learned. The words of wisdon written in PAWS OF WISDOM can guide the reader into living an enriched life.
An excellent read-Cheryl Ellis Allbooks Review.......2007-07-25
Genre: Inspirational/Pets
Title: Paws of Wisdom
Valuable Lessons We Can Learn From Our Pets
Author: Sofia Steryo-Bartmus
"They give us soothing warmth, loyal company and unconditional affection. Our responsibility is to return their love and devotion with faithful care and gentle kindness." Pet owner or not, we should all understand the author's experience and knowledge.
Sofia Steryo-Bartmus had the privilege of sharing her life with a dog named `Bunny' from February 1980-November 1999. It is a happy yet tearful story as Bunny taught the family many lessons, which can be applied to our everyday life. With wonderful insight into the simplicity of life lessons, Sofia's book is written about Bunny's life and we are treated to quick, meaningful quotations from the bible, saints, scientists, philosophers and Bunny herself.
Bunny had Addison's Disease, which is explained factually and presented in a way we can all understand. There are humans with this disease, fighting many of the symptoms Bunny was nursed through.
I feel very fortunate to have shared love with several dogs and cats. For the past 11 years, I have shared my life and learned from a brilliant budgie named `Sunshine'. Every piece of information that Sofia so kindly wrote and illustrated in Paws of Wisdom, was something I could feel and may have forgotten. Wanting to share with the rest of us, Sofia clearly gets the message across. They demand so little and give us so much. We share a bond so strong that we communicate without being verbal but ultimately it is to learn and experience unconditional love.
Sofia Steryo-Bartmus has written a well organized, simply illustrated, inspirational book. It is indexed and has the bonus of a Resource Guide for the health of your pet. She was born in Istanbul, Turkey and is an extensive traveler and volunteer serving the poor, disadvantaged and physically challenged.
It is an excellent read that I have enjoyed reading and reviewing. Reviewer: Cheryl Ellis, Allbooks Reviews
Title: Paws of Wisdom
Author: Sofia Steryo-Bartmus
ISBN-13: 978-0977095506
Publisher: Harmony Book Publishing
Pages: 136
Price: $16.95 July 2007
Paws of Wisdom.......2007-07-22
This book will warm your heart just by looking at the cover! Sofia has written a book that you would think is just about dogs, but no, that is not the case. This book is about animals and also about us. It is thought provoking and very informative. One of my favorite quotes is "No, not today Bunny." In other words, "Do not make promises that you can't keep." This book is a great reminder to us to pay attention to the small things in life, including our pets.
Books:
- Sociology of Organizations: Classic, Contemporary and Critical Readings
- Star Book for Ministers
- Steve McQueen The Last Mile
- Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew
- Texas Brides: The Rancher & The Runaway Bride\The Bluest Eyes In Texas (Texas Brides)
- The Beatles Anthology
- The Beethoven Compendium: A Guide to Beethoven's Life and Music
- The Book That Changed My Life: 71 Remarkable Writers Celebrate the Books That Matter Most to Them
- The Complete Book of Rhymes, Songs, Poems, Fingerplays and Chants: Over 700 Selections
- The Handbook of Group Play Therapy: How to Do It, How It Works, Whom It's Best For
Books Index
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