Book Description
Neurophysiologist and educator Dr. Carla Hannaford brings the latest insights from scientific research to questions that affect learners of all ages. Examining the body's role in learning, from infancy through adulthood she presents the mounting scientific evidence that movement is crucial to learning. Dr. Hannaford offers clear alternatives and remedies that people can put into practice right away to make a real difference in their ability to learn. She advocates more enlightened educational practices for homes and schools including: a more holistic view of each learner; less emphasis on rote learning; more experiential, active instruction; less labeling of learning disabilities; more physical movement; more personal expression through arts, sports and music; less prescribing of Ritalin and other drugs whose long term effects are not even known.
* This is the revised and enlarged second edition of a very popular book that has sold over 100,000 copies. * Includes recent research on the brain and a new emphasis on the importance of the emotional environment for learning. * It begins with a new foreword by well known scientist Candace Pert whose work on neuropeptides has revolutionized our view of the mind/body connection.
Customer Reviews:
New age pseudoscientific nonsense..........2007-08-27
...the "thinking cap" exercise is my favorite -- there's a photo showing some young girl pulling her ear lobes down almost to her collar bone!...the accompanying text claims that such yanking on the ear lobes stimulates "energy sites" in a manner analogous to acupuncture and facilitates thinking...ouch!...I think I'll pass on that one!...and the "energy yawn"??...or the "calf pump"??...no doubt there are reams of scientific research supporting such "techniques" for stimulating thought -- they're just not on this planet...personally, I think you should save your money and attend some of Ms. Hannaford's presentations at the "New Thought Center of Hawaii" where, over the years, she has presented such enlightening seminars as "The Cosmic Order of Sound" and "The Heartful Experience Sufi Dancing at night"...or maybe go out and buy some nice crystals and incense...but whatever you chose, don't waste money on this book.
Perfect remedy for a sedentary generation!.......2007-05-18
As many of the other reviews suggest, this book should be required reading for parents and educators. First of all, the explanations of the mechanics of the brain are very well presented for a lay audience--very easy to understand. The neuroscientific explanation then lays the groundwork for the thesis that Hannaford presents--that we need to consider the impact of the body and movement on the development of the brain. This book is a great step forward for holistic modes of education. Power Brain Kids
REQUIRED READING FOR PARENTS AND TEACHERS.......2007-01-09
Hannaford is the wise teacher who shows how the body and mind are connected and how certain moves and exercises can improve school performance and even attitude. This is an extremely valuable book for anybody who works with kids, and will open your eyes to the whole child, not just the child-as-student. VERY highly recommended. Should be required in every teacher preparation program in the country!
Never thought of it before........2006-07-08
I'm a former teacher, current family lawyer, mother of a nine year old, and homeschooled last year. My daughter's current tutor recommended this book, and a lot of pieces are beginning to fall into place. Coordination, reluctance to ride a bike. I wish I'd had this book 10 years ago.
Great Resource.......2006-06-30
This book is easy to follow and is a great resource for those interested in improving functioning, particularly in children. The brain research included in the book is outstanding, maybe a little overwhelming for a lay person not used to reading this type of information, but made to be as user friendly as possible. One school I'm in has used some of the basic principles presented in the book with noticeable positive results in a very short time. This book is worth the money and time spent reading.
Book Description
Your Moving Bible! The
Moving Survival Guide leads you by the hand through the daunting tasks of selling, packing, and moving your household. Detailed to-do lists, organizational tips, and proven advice will help keep you focused, informed, and energized for your move.
Customer Reviews:
A wealth of information, and checklists!.......2007-08-28
The best thing I can say about this book is that it *thoroughly* helps you get organised for your move- and that is saying a lot!
One of the hardest things about moving is the upheaval and disorganisation it causes. This book will help you, step by step, by identifying potential pitfalls for you to avoid and by providing you with checklists to help you avoid forgetting anything during the tumult of moving.
I really can't say enough about the checklists. I've moved twice since purchasing this book and these lists have been a lifesaver! The author is so very thorough that I felt calm and at ease knowing that as long as each line had a tick in the box, I was going to be ok- and I was!
If you're thinking about buying a book to help with your move you may as well put this one in your cart and head to the check out. I would recommend it over several others as the only book you need. (Of course, I might supplement it with a city guide if you happen to be relocating all the way to a new city as opposed to across town.)
Its Ok, but not extraordinary.......2007-04-20
Maybe I was expecting something different, but the recommendations in this book seemed to be basic and the lists overly complicated. It should be retiled `Moving for Dummies.'
Also, this book is really not for renters or low budget movers. Most of the information is relevant only to people who own their own home and are relocating at somebody else's expense.
Helpful and thorough.......2007-04-06
This book is very thorough, though geared towards those who are selling/buying property more so than renters. Also, there's a lot of info about moving kids (which I skipped because I'm childless by choice). But I found the author to be soothing, it's clear she's been through this many times. She's super-fastidious but that's an asset for someone who's stressed about an upcoming move.
Good book for those who have a deep love of lists and organization! -[...].......2006-05-24
I used this book when planning my move and found it to be very helpful. I was movig across country and had lots of valuable items that needed to be kept track of and properlu insurec. After a previously bad moving experience I wanted to make sure that i got everything right this time around. This book was a huge help, I especially liked all of the lists and organizational aids that were included in it.
If you're an organizational nut and love lists this book is for you!.......2006-04-12
I'm planning a move across the country due to a corporate relocation, and was looking for a resource to help me plan and execute the move with minimal problems. This book did the trick for me.
It's organized into chapters dealing with emotional issues, preparing for the move, selling and buying a house, packing, and starting a new life at you new location.
The author also gives you blank calendars to keep track of dates, a moving timeline, and tons of worksheets that made a list maker like myself very happy, along with blank pages for taking notes. The moving checklists cover everything from changing addresses to moving medical records. The worksheets help you to keep track of moving expenses and phone numbers or contact info from cellular, utility, and insurance companies, schools, doctors, and other service providers.
The book only touches upon the emotional issues, so if you are moving with kids (as I was) I would recommend buying a separate book if you're looking for more information on that issue.
Customer Reviews:
Good, but not all the moves are so outrageous.......2007-03-24
I like this little book. It's a good one in that you don't even need a chess set handy to work through all the possibilities in your head, as there are very few 10-move or so combinations and variations to try to keep track of like in many combination books, so this ends up being a good a "mobile" chess book in that it can be read and enjoyed anywhere, like Reinfeld's 1001 combinations/1001 checkmates books can. I'm no great chess player, so it's hard for me to just go through so much in my mind without setting a position up on a board and playing through it.
Some of the things Fischer did were of such sublime tactical genius that they show a level of creativity in planning that approaches aesthetic art, rather than being reduced to pure technique or sterile computer reasoning. The move in game 65 is one such example, even if a computer would indeed see it.
That said, some of the combinations in this book are less than thrilling and certainly not "outrageous," but examples of good play - some of which are so obvious that beginning players with knowledge of simple tactics (forks, pins, discoveries, etcetera) will spot them instantly and probably not be too bowled over by them. I've seen 2-move chess problems that have had me much more perplexed, many from real games.
To be fair, as other reviewers have pointed out, these easy ones rate a "1" on Pandolfini's difficulty scale, but as an example, what's so outrageous about Fischer's capitalizing on Taimanov's blunder in game 21 with Qd4, setting up a rook and king fork? Answer: Nothing outrageous. Any run-of-the mill pub player with enough talent to think for a moment before making the next move would spot this one almost reflexively, despite Taimanov missing it - that's why they call it a blunder - and everyone makes them from time to time, including grandmasters. It's still not genius to see it, and this problem is filler to make the 101 number, as far as I'm concerned. There are a few other examples.
Again, it's not my place to nitpick this book apart or to be some arbiter of genius versus not genius or outrageous versus pedestrian. The book does show a wealth of things that are truly surprising and inspiring to those who wish to improve their tactical play, and it reinforces the axiom time and again that we should "see the whole board."
Great 'game' in itself!.......2006-11-15
I found this a refreshing change from the usual chess problem or instructional book. Here you can play through the book and score yourself to see how well you do. Then you go back through them again to see how you can improve with better understanding. It's also good for returning to after a good time has passed, and see if you do better or worse.
The difficulty levels are randomized so you will find problems of varying difficulties throughout the book. I think this is good as you don't know what will be coming on the next move until you get there. If someone wants to do them in order of difficulty, it could be done simply by going through and doing all the ones first, then the twos, etc. Also while it might not be most helpful to one's own game to experience only what occurs at those critical moments, one can practice through how Fischer actually developed the opportunities for these outrageous moves by checking the entire games out in the back of the book.
While the other more standard problem and instructional books remain important, I wish more like this one were published.
Such a Jaw-dropping Mind! And he helps get you to be the same way!.......2005-12-10
This is an excellent book! It really exceeded my expectations tremendously! Keep in mind what is meant by "Outrageous Moves"... many of the indicated moves in this book (though not all of them) are FORCING MOVES, which you have to learn to discern when to make such a move. Studying Fischer sets you on that path and Pandolfini guides the reader, assisting in gleaning Fischer's didactic ways. I think it can strike some people with less of an effect, though, if you just go through the book the way it's presented. The diagrams, clues and solutions are actually presented as best as they can be (except for the diagram to game 25, the White Queen should be on h3 instead of h4), it's just that you, the reader, would do well to take a folded rectangular slice of paper with tape at the top of it and cover the bottom part of each page as you go so you won't see the answers. That way you can set up the diagrammed position on your own chessboard, read Pandolfini's clue, and take a certain amount of time to try to figure out what Fischer figured out. To take it a step further, I suggest you don't even read Pandolfini's clue until you find that you can't figure out the solution in 10 minutes (then go back to trying to figure out the position for another 10 to 25 minutes. [Keep score as you go through the whole book])... I suggest that last part because I found that some of Pandolfini's clues were too revealing, but such clues are kept to a minimum. The level-of-difficulty indicators (1 through 5) were a big help too... but when you're looking at a position in a real-life, over-the-board game, you don't get to see a 1 or a 5 in the corner of the table. As if all of that weren't enough, when you finally do finish studying a position after you've read the answer, STUDY THE ENTIRE GAME SCRUPULOUSLY via the full notation in the back of the book (which has no commentary, but through filling in your own notes (get a 3-ring notebook)!, you'll force yourself to see even more than you thought you could)!! I think it was a sad oversight for Pandolfini to neglect to mention that the full notations for all the games are given in the back of the book; just imagine someone getting through a major portion of the book and then they discover that they could have been studying the entire games via the notation in the back of the book...! (by the way, Game 76 has another Outrageous Move [19....Bg4!] found only in the full notation). All of the aforementioned is a major shortcoming of the way this book is presented... Pandolfini doesn't instruct you TO MAKE A STUDY COURSE out of this book; maybe, he just expected every reader to have been familiar already with his "Solitaire Chess" section of "Chess Life" Magazine and to take it upon themselves to do the aforementioned anyway. I got SO MUCH out of doing it that way (on Fritz 8 Deluxe, by the way. I saved the games with my own notes [on my external hard drive] and now I have 101, little "CHESS MOVIES")! By the way, many of these games are on the Fritz 8 Deluxe (and the new Fritz 9, too, I'm sure) Compact Disc (in the "Database" folder). As for those people who lambasted this book as a cheap attempt to get paid off of Bobby Fischer's name, just realize that there will always be critics of you when you try to do something to help people tremendously. When you study Bobby Fischer's "out-of-the-box" way of thinking over a period of at least 90 days (about what it took me) you, yourself improve to an immense degree! You just have to make up your mind to do what you're going to do and address the criticism when it comes your way (the same way you do your opponent's attack in chess). You don't have to take that crap from people!
Nice Bobby Fischer Combinations. .......2005-09-12
Any chess player can read this book; it briefly describes Algebraic Notation in case you're a beginner. The book gives 101 diagrams from Fischers games -all are dated and the specific place or Tournament is listed. The list of his opponents is remarkable e.g., Byrne,Tal,Geller,Petrosian,Larsen,Spassky,etc starting about 1956 to 1978. Mr. Pandolfini gives the level of difficulty from 1 to 5 for each diagram-one large diagram on each page. You cover the answer under the diagram and try to figure out Bobby's moves, there is a hint also. The answers are briefly explained, some more detailed than others. Also nice is he gives the complete game moves in the back of the book.
let's make money from Fischer's name and games..........2005-02-28
Three stars are for this book:
1) Good selection of games and clear diagrams.
2) Better analysis than those Schiller's books, (even the book is 15 years olds, I got '85 edition.)
3) Provide the complete games at the end of the book so we can see the turning points of the games. (Even so, if we want a complete collection of Fischer's games, Lou Hays' book is better, and then we would miss out the "expert" analysis, right? So this book is a good bridging stone.)
Most of Fischer's games in particular, and current and ex-champions and GMs in general, have some defining turn-points; especially when the players steer the games to the tactical aspects. Often than not, they prefer to keep the game in positional struggles, so the more patient and skillful players usually come out victorious after many long deep-thought moves. We don't see much "outrageous" moves in their (GM) games. However, when the combinations present, surely they grasp them and start the fireworks. That is what Pandolfini again wrote the book "One-Move Chess by the Champions". Fischer is a fearless attacker; therefore most of his games contain those "Outrageous" moves. Any 40-50 of Fischer's winning games from Hays' book can make some "Awesome Games of the Ultimate Chess Champion", or the like. With that abundance of impressive games, Fischer chose to write "My 60 Memorable Games", and he included some of his "memorable" losses too!!!
As we see, most books written about Fischer's games will have at least 1/3 of his games in "60 Memorable Games" (other 2/3 is to try avoid 'copycats'), and as we all know Fischer's analysis is always more superior.
Now, let's make some money, by buying Hays' book and using Fritz 8 (another small investment) to analyze Fischer's games. After that, with some good story-telling co-writers, we can produce "60 Winter Days in '64 U.S. Championship the Ultimate Chess Champion Created the Most Classical Game Record in the Most Prestigious Event of All Times", or something similar.
Average customer rating:
- A very interesting purchase
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How to Play Air Guitar: All the Greatest Moves from Your Guitar Heroes
Ian West , and
Steve Gladdis
Manufacturer: Collins & Brown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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To Air is Human: One Man's Quest to Become the World's Greatest Air Guitarist
ASIN: 1844110036 |
Book Description
Become a rock superstar--without breaking a string! Don't let a lack of musical talent deter you: it's all in the moves, and they are all here, in a super-cool kit with a plastic air guitar to blow up and a fully-illustrated guide to "playing" it. Feel like a true music master as you practice those swoon-inducing pouts, pants-splitting jumps, and groupie-thrilling facial expressions. Beginners--need to know how to tune up? Strum the instrument? Just follow the humorous photos and complete directions. Get down with the "Boogie": that sexy legs-spread stance, complete with lots of head movement. Mastered the basics? Then show off the "Pointed Windmill," a majestic sweeping gesture that crashes across the crotch, and ends with the hand pointing at the audience. Every move comes complete with helpful information, including recommended songs to get you in the groove. Plus: advice on going public when you're ready!
About the Authors
Ian West and Steve Gaddis always dreamed of rock superstardom-and they pursued their fantasy, undeterred by their total absence of musical talent. And they succeeded: the two have played with all the greats-Brian May, Carlos Santana, Eddie Van Halen....in front of the mirror in their bedrooms.
Customer Reviews:
A very interesting purchase.......2007-01-09
I really liked this book. It contains a lot of interesting moves for your air guitar needs. Everything is nicely detailed with pictures of the different moves, and it also comes with a nice track list to listen to while you practice in your own room.
Average customer rating:
- The Kids Love This Book
- Doesn't take a bite out of crime. Just out of shortbread.
- Fantastic!
- Ashleigh LOVED this Rosemary Wells book!
- Ashleigh LOVED this Rosemary Wells book!
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McDuff Moves In (McDuff Stories)
Rosemary Wells
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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McDuff Saves the Day (McDuff Stories)
ASIN: 0786856777 |
Book Description
Perfect for back-to-school McDuff and his friend, Marie-Antoinette, are going to obedience training school. But unless Fred and Lucy help McDuff practice his commands, how will he ever be good enough pass his test?
Customer Reviews:
The Kids Love This Book.......2005-05-26
When I was a working librarian, I read this books (and the others)to my storytimes. When I retired I started to volunteer in an inner city school. I was not certain how the children would react to the book. I am now in my sixth year reading to Preschool, Kindergarten and First Grade. They hear the first four books each year and they always ask me to repeat the books. The line about "no one had ever asked him to come in" always gets a great response. I think everyone should read these McDuff books. So many classes can't be wrong!
Doesn't take a bite out of crime. Just out of shortbread........2005-01-21
Dear old Rosemary Wells. If you've ever read her books about that famous bunny Max or classic titles like, "Morris' Disappearing Bag" then you know that her stories, while disjointed, can often be truly charming works of preschool art. So when I discovered the McDuff books (written by her but illustrated by someone else entirely) I was ill at ease. I mean, Wells draws such cute little bunnies. How could anyone else adapt to her words? On reading the first book of the McDuff series, "McDuff Moves In", I was amazed to find myself suddenly on the oposte side of the fence. The pictures in this book are really quite charming. From the cute little Scottie named McDuff to the 1950s setting, visually this story's a charmer. But strange as it may seem, Wells's words are out-of-place here. Though a brief tale with little in the way of plot, somehow this book is not as direct or understandable as it might be. A pity.
On our first view of little white McDuff, he's sitting in the back of a city pound truck. After a providential bump in the road and a quick escape, the solitary doggy goes down a nice suburban street in search of food and shelter. Door number one at the first house growls at him. Door number two at the second house hisses at him. But door number three at the third house is just right. There, a friendly couple take him in, feed him, give him a bath, then decide they haven't room for a doggy. Fortunately an attempted car ride to the pound proves that maybe this couple has grown a bit attached to their shaggy new friend. Happy ending and shortbread biscuits for all.
The book bears a striking resemblance to Lyn Rossiter McFarland's subsequent similarly plotted picture book, "Widget". The difference, however, is that "Widget" is the stronger story. Though I was with "McDuff" through the beginning, about the time he stumbles on the kindly couple I found my eyebrows slowly beginning to lift. For example, when McDuff appears outside the third home, the book says the following: "Somebody opened the door and asked him to come in. It was Lucy. 'This is Fred', said Lucy". Looking at the picture of both Fred and Lucy staring at the pup on their porch, I naturally assumed that now the dog was named Fred. Not so much. The text and the pictures don't mesh particularly well either. When the book says that Fred checks McDuff's collar, the picture shows Fred sitting on a chair with McDuff hiding underneath. Plus the language is oddly stilted. It ends with the words, " 'How happy we are!', they said in their dreams", which is half an inch shy of hokey and a sneeze away from outright saccharine. I don't think I'm conveying the book's inability to tell its story convincingly to you. Nevertheless, I strongly urge you to flip through this story long before you decide to buy it. Long before.
Which is not to say that the pictures don't almost make up for its narrative flaws. Illustrator Susan Jeffers has a Caldecott Honor Award under her belt and it shows. From Lucy's painted toenails and felt hat spotted bathrobe to the image of the three new friends happily munching on McDuff's shortbread biscuits at the tale's end, this book seeks to enchant. Seeks and, were it not for the words, would succeed. I loved the fabulous 40s-50s decor. I liked the scared little McDuff turning into a confident happy pup in a loving home. I liked how realistic these images were and how original the setting became. Obviously if Rosemary Wells had illustrated this tale herself she would've done it in an entirely different way. It's just her own bloody good luck that she found herself paired with such a supremely talented artist.
So it's entirely up to you. "McDuff Moves In" has much in its favor and much against it as well. Personally, I suggest that if you are looking for a tale of a cute little white Scottie finding a home then you should seek out "Widget" by Lyn Rossiter McFarland forthwith. If, however, you're a fan of the period picture book genre and you like Susan Jeffers's work, "McDuff" may be a great choice for you and yours. It is not Rosemary Wells's best writing and the story is pretty touch n' go. Still, there are things to recommend it. Definitely give it a trial run.
Fantastic!.......2001-11-04
I own this book, as well as others in the series. They are just great! My mom owns a Westie, perfectly named Duffy(he got the name before we new about the books), and the illustrator captures the essence of the Westie. Every picture is perfectly drawn to show the character of a Westie. I love the author as well. I have been a teacher and have always read Ms. Wells' books to my students and the McDuff series is loved by all. McDuff moves in is just a fun book to read and I recommend it to all ages.
Ashleigh LOVED this Rosemary Wells book!.......2000-01-04
I am a 2nd grader. My name is Ashleigh. I have been reading books by Rosemary Wells. My favorite book is McDUFF MOVES IN. I like this book because it makes me feel happy when McDuff finds a home.
Ashleigh LOVED this Rosemary Wells book!.......1999-12-18
I am a 2nd grader at Anna Merritt Elementary School. My name is Ashleigh. I have been reading books by Rosemary Wells. My favorite book is McDUFF MOVES IN because it makes me feel happy when McDuff finds a home.
Customer Reviews:
Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03
Holden Carver continues to work his way up the ranks of the criminal organisation headed by Tao, a man more complex than is seen at first glance.
More problems happen for Holden as his relationship with the twisted minion of Tao, Miss Misery gets more and more involved.
As good as Book 1.......2005-11-06
This book continues the excellent story from Book 1 and left me eagerly anticipating Book 3.
One of the best graphic novels out there.......2005-10-18
People go on and on about how great this series is, and the good news is, it completely lives up to the hype. I came to "Sleeper" after reading a few other titles Ed Brubaker had written, notably DC's deliciously revamped "Catwoman" (which is also a lot of fun)... I was skeptical, but I'm glad I took the plunge with "Sleeper," as it is one of the best comicbook stories I've read in a long while.
The action takes place in the WildCATS/Authority/Stormwatch universe, once a comicbook backwater that has recently been revitalized into a gritty and witty superhero noir... "Sleeper" tells the story of a superpowered secret agent, Holden Carver, who is placed undercover by a Machiavellian Nick Fury type to infiltrate a sinister spy network populated with superpowered, super-amoral bad guys. Brubaker uses the character's specific superpowers to flesh out their inner lives -- Carver's power is the ability to absorb any amount of bodily damage and transmute it into pure pain, which he can zap other people with. Meanwhile, he feels no pain himself and is practically unkillable, a situation that leaves him feeling dead inside and increasingly alienated from the true-believer idealism that lead him into military service to begin with. Brubaker borrows from the well-trod genre of spy fiction, but adds an extra layer with the whole superpower thing that is well thought-out and rewarding. Without getting into spoilers, etc., I'll just say that this was one of those rare comic series that I regretted getting to the end of... the world it depicted was so absorbing and textured that I was bummed I knew the story would end with Volume 4... (The entire "Sleeper" story is contained in four slim volumes, plus the prequel, "Point Blank," which sets the stage for "Sleeper" and should definitely be read as well...)
It should be mentioned that this is not a book for little kids: there are many of the same sort of "adult" elements as DC's Vertigo imprint -- semi-graphic sexuality and some extreme violence -- although to his credit, Brubaker includes these elements for a reason, and does it with far less of the "gee-whiz" gratuitousness that has made the Vertigo books become so tedious and repetitive. The sex elements cut to the heart of Carver's character, while the violence is used to show the seriousness of his predicament; they actually deepen the story and move it along and are not included merely to titillate readers or gross us out. That being said, I highly recommend this series.
(This review written by Joe Sixpack/Slipcue.Com)
Vol. 2 of the Best Comic You're Not Reading.......2004-08-25
Here's what happened when I read Volume One, Out in the Cold: I couldn't put it down. I bought it at my local comic book shop. The store closes at 8 pm and by 7:30 pm (on the same night I bought it), I was calling the shop...
RING RING
DOUG: Hello, Funnybook Factory.
AMY: Tom?
DOUG: No, this is Doug.
AMY: Oh, hi Doug. It's Amy.
DOUG: Hey Amy.
AMY: When you and Tom come over to play Halo later, can you tell Tom to bring volume two of Sleeper. I'll pay him when he gets here.
DOUG: Sure.
AMY: ... Don't forget to tell him, okay? Bring volume two.
DOUG: Okay.
AMY: I got the money here. If he forgets, I'll kill him. I'll KILL him.
DOUG: Jesus, all right. He'll bring it.
AMY: Okay, thanks. Bye.
Yeah, it's that good.
Book Description
Constantinos Markides contends that the essence of business strategy is to allow a company to create and exploit a unique strategic position in its industry. To do so, the company must make clear and explicit choices based on the answers to three difficult questions: Who should I target as customers? What products or services should I offer them? How should I do this in an efficient way? Any company engaged in strategy making must raise these questions, identify possible answers, and then choose what to do and what not to do. The objective should be to come up with ideas that differentiate the firm from its competitors-and thus stake out a unique strategic position. In
All the Right Moves, a highly practical handbook on the fundamentals of strategy, Markides helps managers zero in on the critical choices that lie at the heart of all innovative strategies.
More important, Markides argues that even the best of strategies have a limited life. It is not enough to develop a unique strategic position or to improve the existing one. Companies must continually create and colonize new strategic positions, a difficult if not impossible task for many established firms. Markides explains how to overcome the obstacles to innovation so that even well-established companies can innovate by breaking the rules of the game.
All the Right Moves reveals how creative thinking leads to strategic innovation-the "breakthroughs" that separate winning strategists from also-rans. Markides approaches strategic thinking as a creative process in which examining an issue from a variety of angles often proves more productive than merely gathering data, and experimenting with new ideas can be more effective than conducting much scientific analysis. He poses key questions for readers to ask as he guides them through a step-by-step framework for developing their strategic thinking skills.
In a refreshingly clear and practical approach,
All the Right Moves offers concrete advice for thinking through the tough choices that all business strategists must face. It distills the important elements of strategy into an easy-to-follow system for crafting today's-and tomorrow's-breakthrough business strategies.
Customer Reviews:
The inventor of WHO-WHAT-HOW strategic positioning.......2004-12-03
Markides is a professor at the London Business School. The basic idea in this excellent strategy book is as follows:
STRATEGIC POSITIONING is simply the sum of a company's answers to three questions:
> WHO should I target as customers?
> WHAT products or services should I offer them?
> HOW can I best deliver these products and services to these customers?
Strategy is all about making tough choices in these three dimensions (who, what, and how). Remember that deciding what NOT to do is just as important as deciding what to do...
The next issue is then to construct the appropriate organizational environment that will support the choices made. Also in this area, Markides contributes with a refreshingly clear and practical approach.
Markides argues that even the best of strategies will only have a limited life. Thus, companies must continually evaluate their performance and position in order to be able to quickly create and colonize new strategic positions. Strategy is a dynamic concept - not static. A very practical approach to innovate strategic thinking is to keep starting the process at different points: who/what/how, who/how/what, what/who/how, what/how/who, how/what/who, how/what/who, and finally how/who/what.
Thus, The marketing philosophy always starts externally at the customer (who?) and works backwards towards solutions (what?), and finally adapts the firm's delivery system (how?). But a strong trend during the last decade has been on the internal perspective on core competences, such as procurement or production. This method means that we start with own unique capabilities in the delivery system (how?), which then is translated into solutions (what?) and finally customers (who?). Radical innovation often is created this way, e.g. the "walkman". In practice of business development, we usually have to work in both directions.
This book is not a dry academic's dusty words. Markides uses a wealth of case stories on strategic positions. Being a Dane, I find it very nice indeed that the companies cited often are of European origin.
Nirmalya Kumar's brilliant book "Marketing as Strategy" (2004) expands on Markides' ideas in this book. They both are indebted to professor Derek Abell for the original concept presented in the landmark strategy book: "Defining the business" (1980).
Peter Leerskov,
MSc in International Business (Marketing & Management) and Graduate Diploma in E-business
Integrates Strategy, New Products and Organization Learning.......2001-04-28
This is the best strategy book that I have ever read (and I have read a few including Gary Hamel's books). This book clearly lays out the need for and process of developing a business innovation strategy. It does this without getting too preachy. Another reason that this book is so good is that it effectively builds on powerful concepts in organizational learning and new product development, thereby integrating some important concepts from these fields to build a strong, broad position for strategy and strategic thinking. If you are interested in innovation strategy, organizational learning and new product development, you need to read this book.
Exploration...Discovery...Conquest.......2000-08-07
All the Right Moves
Markides provides a cohesive and comprehensive guide to crafting breakthrough strategy for ANY organization. The basic premise of his book is that "superior strategy is all about finding and exploiting a unique strategy in the company's business while at the same time searching for new strategic positions on a continuing basis." He organizes his materials as follows:
Part I How to Create a Unique Strategic Position
* How to decide what your business is
* How to decide who your customers and what to offer to them
* How to "play the game"
* How to identity and secure strategic assets and capabilities
* How to create the right organization environment
* How to develop a superior strategic position
Part II How to Prepare for Strategic Innovation
* How strategic positions develop
* How to evaluate and respond to strategic innovation
* How to take a dynamic view of strategy
In the final chapter, Markides concedes that "designing a successful strategy is a never-ending quest. Even the most successful companies must continually question the basis of their business and the assumptions underlying their 'formula for success.' (In fact, in one way or another, this is what most successful companies have done to get where they are.). New who/what/how positions are constantly popping up around the mass market, and established companies must be on the lookout for them. Like a modern-day Christopher Columbus, each company must set out to explore its industry's evolving terrain, searching for new and unexploited strategic positions."
In this brilliant book, Markides explains HOW.
A valuable guide to the basics of strategy.......2000-06-08
Markides argues:
"The essence of strategy is to choose the one position that your company will claim as its own. A strategic position is simply the sum of a company's answers to these three questions: Who should I target as customers? What products or services should I offer them? How should I do this? ... Ultimately, strategy is all about making choices, [to achieve] a distinctive strategic position ... The most common source of strategic failure is the failure to make clear and explicit choices in each of these three dimensions."
In itself, the statement is simple, even obvious. But, as he points out, many companies fail to make these explicit choices.
The value of the book lies in how the author works through these propositions. The advice is good common sense, laced with valuable insights. The language is clear and simple. The approach is systemic - the author is as concerned with how all the elements fit together within a dynamic market as with the elements themselves. Each chapter ends with a good summary of the arguments.
Even highly complex and highly dynamic strategies rest on these simple foundations. The book therefore provides both an excellent guide for those new to wrestling with strategy and excellent 'mental furniture' with which to approach more complex formulations.
A thought provoking guide to What is Strategy?.......2000-03-15
All the Right Moves grapples with the issues which form the essence of the strategic management field. Professor Markides provides readers with a landscape for strategy which covers: 1) positioning, 2) business system interdependence, and 3) dynamics of competition. Positioning is recouched in an easy to understand and apply framework based on a new Who-What-How combination. An important message is that positioning is only part of the story. Once position is determined, management must coordinate a complex system of interrelated and interdependent activities which typically extend beyond our cognitive limits of bounded rationality. Further, once these activities are coordinated for one position, the firm cannot stand still. Competitive dynamics erode away any advantage over time, and therefore firms must continuously question their positioning . I whole-heartedly recommend this refreshing and thought provoking book to managers and academics alike.
Book Description
Very occasionally, a chess move is played that astonishes the whole world. It may be a move of astounding complexity, unearthly beauty, deep paradox...or all three. The move is discussed and analyzed around the world as chess-players attempt to fathom both why the move works, and how on earth anyone thought of it in the first place. In this book, John Emms has selected, from hundreds of candidates, the 200 most amazing chess moves of all time. In each case, the reader is given the chance to try to find the move for himself -- making this one of the most challenging chess puzzle books ever published. He provides full solutions, focusing on what can be learned from each Amazing Move, and what made it so hard to see. These moves are not, on the whole, completely beyond the comprehension of ordinary players. A standard reaction to these Amazing Moves is "Of course! Why didn't I see that!" By studying this book, you will both improve your chess, and increase your chances of becoming the proud player of an Amazing Move, rather than being the dumbfounded victim.
Customer Reviews:
Emms ... on great chess moves........2003-10-30
Before you read my review, you should know that I am a Life-Master of Chess.
And lately, it seems I have been bashing books - my reviews have generated a lot of e-mail - some has been rather negative. But I am always honest, and I always try to point out any flaws or mistakes that I find. As the man says: "I call 'em the way I see 'em."
So it is with a great deal of pure joy that I tell you ... I LOVED THIS BOOK!!
(In fact, I have created several new web pages ... just with the material that this book contains. With a search engine, you should find it easily.)
This book is NOT perfect; I have found quite a few errors. For example: on page # 168, (second column); the note after move after move 35.Ne6, the author gives: "Also losing is 35.Rdb1, Nh3+; 36.Ke1," etc. BUT 35...Nh3 is NOT the best move. (35...Ne4 is MUCH better.) In fact, ...Nh3 is NOT even check!!
And I do not entirely approve of the author's "Top Ten." #1 is from a game where the loser said it was, "one of the worst games he ever played." (But all losers might say this!) His number five is almost an exact copy, (in type, AND theme); to his number one. And on it goes. Games from lesser-known players, games of questionable content, moves that are NOT even real double-exclams. (Real mistakes are the lack of some simple, thorough player and position indexes.)
BUT!!!! All these are minor quibbles, really. (The author covers this ground in his intro.) Consider all the really FANTASTIC THINGS that this book offers:
# 1.) 200 of the BEST - and most astounding - chess moves ever played;
# 2.) EVERY phase of the game is covered. (Opening, middle-game, end-game.);
# 3.) Some really GREAT analysis, I estimate the author worked at least a year on this book. The analysis of some of the moves (alone) ... is worth the price of the book! The author holds NOTHING back!! In one of the examples, the author points out things like themes, recurring tactics, and opening traps!!
Chess IS tactics. And this book is really all about tactics. And there are no easy ones in here. I had my daughter pick about 30 problems at random. Half of these I knew, they are from fairly well-known chess games. But of the ones I did not already know the answer to, I correctly solved only three problems!! (I don't count problems where I guessed the solutions.) If a Master needs to work on this area, how about you?
At last - a FUN book, that if used intelligently - will help you get better at chess. And once you have spent some time with this book, you will have a smile almost as big as mine! Outstanding!!
great puzzles, why cripple them?.......2000-12-30
Mr. John Emms, why diminish the value of your exceptional research by classifying the positions into categories? This effectively makes the puzzles easier to solve, not to mention that many of the captions accompanying the puzzle diagrams divulge key ideas in the position... Enjoyment is reduced (the job is made easier) when you know the position leads to mate, or not ( material gain ), or that a long term sacrifice must happen. On a more positive note, the analysis in the solutions is great and the fact that you include the _entire_ game leading up to the diagram position is fantastic.
Interesting Book.......2000-09-05
This is a book to be read for fun, though stronger players might like to test their analytical and tactical mettle on the problem positions given. A set of problems, drawn from real play, is given in each of ten chapters. Each set is followed by detailed solutions and annotations. The problems require ingenuity coupled with disciplined analysis. The solutions to many are enough to elicit a startled gasp. While the book should appeal to all players above 1600, it seems best suited as training material for ambitious 2100 players trying to break through to 2200 or 2300 strength.
Product Description
This is not just another pool book. You Might Be A D Player If... a new book by pool player and writer Samm Diep, is a witty, tongue-in-cheek tribute to pool devotees across America. Pool players everywhere will relate to this book. It sets out to good-naturedly reveal all the goofy, wacky things we do while playing our favorite game. Subtitled, 101 Classic Moves That All Pool Players Can Appreciate, this book is packed with over 100 pages of stories and illustrations. Collected over her years of experience in the pool community, You Might Be A D Player If... will strike many familiar chords with enthusiasts. "Placing your beer in the table pocket, resting your cigarette on the rail, smacking your gum, flipping the rack, weve all seen it or done it at some point," says Diep. The book is already encountering overwhelming responses from players and instructors everywhere. "Every avid player will appreciate this opportunity to lighten up and laugh at a nicely written and illustrated, hilarious departure from the stern world of competitive pool," says Tom Ross, World Class Instructor and Writer for Billiards Digest. He "enjoyed the devilish pleasure that comes from seeing my complaints expressed with greater intelligence and wit than I can muster." "I love it," says Max Eberle, UPA Touring Pro and pool instructor. "Every player and pool hall should own a copy!" "As a one-time leaguer myself, I got a lot of laughs in reading it," says WPBA Pro, Megan Minerich. "In some way, deep down, we can all be D players. Enjoy!" Measuring 5.5 inches by 5.5 inches, its the perfect size for any stocking. You Might Be A D Player If... comes out just in time for the holidays. This book is a fun read you can go through it in one sitting or savor it by picking it up and flipping through a few pages at a time. "If you are or know a D Player, or indeed any pool junkie, this will be just the perfect gift for them.
Customer Reviews:
The Perfect Gift for Any Pool Player!.......2005-12-10
All players of the game of pool will see themselves, and laugh out loud,
while reading this well written and wonderfully illustrated book.
Makes a great gift for your favorite pool player.
Great illustrations!.......2005-11-09
I especially enjoyed the illustrations, this seems like a great book for anyone interested in pool and a tongue-in-cheek way of becoming a better player.
Hee-Larious! I loved it........2005-11-08
The insights would be funny enough and the cartoons only make it that much better. quick read. Everyone who likes to shoot around at their local bar and thinks they're pretty good should be given one as a gift.
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- The B. B. King Treasures: Photos, Mementos & Music from B. B. King's Collection
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- The Diamond Throne: (#1) (Eddings, David//Elenium)
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Books Index
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High Five!
