Book Description
Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles, co-authors of the New York Times business bestseller Raving Fans, are back with Gung Ho! Here is an invaluable management tool that outlines foolproof ways to increase productivity by fostering excellent morale in the workplace. It is a must-read for everyone who wants to stay on top in today's ultra-competitive business world.
Raving Fans taught managers how to turn customers into full-fledged fans. Now, Gung Ho! brings the same magic to employees. Through the inspirational story of business leaders Peggy Sinclair and Andy Longclaw, Blanchard and Bowles reveal the secret of Gung Ho--a revolutionary technique to boost enthusiasm and performance and usher in astonishing results for any organization. The three principles of Gung Ho are:
- The Spirit of the Squirrel
- The Way of the Beaver
- The Gift of the Goose
These three cornerstones of Gung Ho are surprisingly simple and yet amazingly powerful. Whether your organization consists of one or is listed in the Fortune 500, this book ensures Gung Ho employees committed to success.
Gung Ho! also includes a clear game plan with a step-by-step outline for instituting these groundbreaking ideas. Destined to become a classic, Gung Ho! is a rare and wonderful business book that is packed with invaluable information as well as a compelling, page-turning story.
Management legend Ken Blanchard and master entrepreneur Sheldon Bowles are back with Gung Ho!, revealing a surefire way to boost employee enthusiasm, productivity, and performance and usher in astonishing results for any organization.
Raving Fans brilliantly schooled managers on how to turn customers into raving fans. Gung Ho! now brings the same magic to employees. Here is the story of how two managers saved a failing company and turned in record profits with record productivity. The three core ideas of Gung Ho! are surprisingly simple: worthwhile work guided by goals and values; putting workers in control of their production; and cheering one another on. Their principles are so powerful that business leaders, reviewing the manuscript for Ken and Sheldon, have written to say, "Sorry. Ignored instructions. Have photocopied for everyone. I promise to buy books, but can't wait. We need now!" Like Raving Fans, Gung Ho! delivers.
Customer Reviews:
Keep It Simple Stupid.......2007-07-10
The anti-cliche corporate example used as the basis for this book and its powerful message prove again that the best ideas are the simplest ones. The brilliance of the author's writing is its quick and easy-to-read format. An author with a larger ego could have easily mired this message in excessive wordiness to lengthen the page count, but why? The concepts are logical and straight-forward. Blanchard is to be commended for presenting them in a similar format.
As for the message itself, the three basic lessons are gifts that keep giving. They can be applied to nearly any work environment, of any size, in any industry, by any manager. The message is particularly powerful for managers who are either constrained in their abilities to provide powerful financial incentives for employees, OR are surrounded by Gen X and Y employees who may only be marginally motivated by money in the first place. By actively incorporating these philosophies in day-to-day operations, managers are likely to not only see productivity improvements, but to see employee retention and motivation gains as well. The book is a roadmap to creating an environment that will nurture Gen Y's endless craving to work in a team-based atmosphere flush with positive feedback.
Overall, a highly relevant read for anyone in management or aspiring to be so.
Gung Ho!- Is AWESOME!!!!!!!.......2007-06-01
Ken Blanchard knocked this one out of the park with Gung HO! This book is a simple read that takes no time to read. The cool thing about this book it is not broken up into chapters. It is just one story from start to finish. This book is well worth the money and will get you pumped up to tackle the world.
Gung HOl.......2007-01-14
I purchased 12 copies of this book to distribute to the administration and school board of my local district. The philosophy and of teamwork, quality work, challenging work and positive affirmations are presented in an easy to understand way which can aid in implementation. A great inspiring look at leadership.
Best leadership book out there.......2007-01-03
This book is outstanding. It explains leadership in a way that is very easy to understand. Everyone can relate to this book.
Always Remember these gifts.......2006-12-02
The Spirit of the squirrel, The Way of the Beaver, and The Gift of the Goose are the best gifts you can give to you managers. Blanchard and Bowles nailed the concepts of workplace co-operation and teamwork in a style that will appeal to all readers. Get this book for your managers and make your business an unqualified success. My book, "Always Remember, If it ain't fun, It ain't worth doing!" is a great follow up to this book. It will take your managers to the next level of management excellence... Wayne Kehl
Book Description
The Beginning Level texts and workbooks are the first of a four- level series (Beginning 1 and 2, Intermediate 1 and 2, Advanced Intermediate, and Advanced) developed collaboratively by leading classroom teachers and linguists of Korean. All series volumes have been developed in accordance with performance-based principles and methodology-learner-centeredness, contextualization, use of authentic materials, function/task-orientedness, balance between skill getting and skill using, and integration of speaking, listening, reading, writing, and culture. Grammar points are systematically introduced with simple but adequate explanations and abundant examples, exercises, and drills. Each situation/topic-based lesson of the main texts consists of two or three model dialogues, narration, new words and expressions, pronunciation notes, vocabulary notes, culture, grammar, task/function, and English translation of dialogues. The workbooks provide students with extensive skill-using activities based on the skills learned from the main texts. Integrated Korean is a project of the Korean Language Education and Research Center (KLEAR) with the support of the Korea Foundation. In addition to the four-level textbooks and workbooks, forthcoming volumes include instructor's manuals, Chinese Character Studies, Korean Composition, Selected Readings in Korean, Readings in Modern Korean Literature, Korean Language in Culture and Society, and A Dictionary of Korean Grammar and Usage.
Customer Reviews:
Too much useless information.......2007-05-26
I'm Korean and bought this to brush up on my language skills. Half the book is filled with a stupid introduction that has nothing to do with the language. The remaining portion teaches things you can learn on television. This is a commercial book for people who want to have it in their bookshelf to show off. This is not a good book to learn from. They don't even have the alphabets listed together on one page that can serve as a reference for writing skills!!!!!!! If you don't have something as basic as that, the glossary in the back isn't going to help you out very much. Returned the book as an unsatisfied customer. Don't get this book - waste of time and money (lost shipping costs).
If you want to Teach Yourself korean, this is the book!.......2007-01-23
I'm so glad I bought this book, because I find it very complete, useful and very easy to understand. It's very well organized and not boring. Excellent introduction, with all the pronunciation rules. The Grammar is very clear and well explained. It has a list of vocabulary,loanwords, the adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, etc, everything well organized.And it has a section about the Korean culture.At the end of the book they have a mini korean- english/ english-korean dictionary. And you can listen to the audio in real player from the website or you can go to the section of downloads of the University of hawaii and download the Mp3 audio for free!! and make an audio cd.So I'm planning to buy all the other series. If you want to teach yourself korean, this is definitively the book!.
Very Usefull for Korean 101.......2006-11-14
I am currently taking Korean 101 in college, and this is the textbook we are using. The textbook is very affordable and very easy to learn from. Perhaps most important is the books usefullness as a vocabular and grammar reference. Here is a short list of some of the parts of the book:
-An introduction to Korean
-An explanation of the Korean alphabet (easy to learn)
-Short sections on Korean culture
-Dialogues at the begining of each chapter and throughout the chapters
-Online audio files of each dialogue and vocabulary list
-Clearly organized vocabulary lists (by word type and subject)
-Usefull Korean to English and English to Korean dictionary
-Very usefull grammar reference at the back of the book
I found the explanations very clear, and the chapters well organized. The references are especially usefull for looking up words or grammar usage. Although there is not as much Korean culture mixed in as there is in French textbooks that I have used. I don't see this to be a problem since there is plenty more up to date cultural information online. Information about how culture influences the language is mixed in, which is important for understanding concepts like which form of speech to use (honorific, polite, etc.), as well as using "Our brother" instead of "My brother."
Additionaly and perhaps most important is the fact that no romanization is used except perhaps in the introductory chapter.
There isn't that much audio from the book online, so I would really suggest either talking with someone who knows Korean, or listening / watching something in Korean, but that's true for any language. However, vowels are really important and you're likely to mess them up if you don't have someone correct you.
My friend Leo says the cover is ugly, but I disagree.
From an English teacher living in Korea.......2006-11-05
Wait!....If you are actually going to go to Korea for any length of time, I would suggest getting Korean Language One instead. You can find it at any major bookstore in Korea. It's published by Seoul University (the Harvard of Korea) and costs 15.000 won, ten dollars less than the University of Hawaii book. It covers more material, and while there aren't as many explanations, the vocabulary is more applicable (the U. of Hawaii book has a lot of college-related vocabulary that isn't that useful for the rest of us.)
I didn't think that using the real files from the U. of Hawaii website was that difficult, but I have internet access at home. It would have been nice if they had made them downloadable MP3s so I could have put them on my iPod, burned them to CD, etc.
Overall, though, I agree with the other reviewers: this is the best Korean language textbook available in the United States.
The Best Korean Textbook Series in English.......2006-07-26
I won't be the first or last to say this, but the Integrated Korean series is hands-down the best Korean language learning series available in English.
The structure of the Beginning 1 textbook is intelligent and well thought out, particularly in combination with the workbook and the audio supplements available online for free from the University of Hawaii Press. Beginning with a thorough introduction to Hangul (Korean writing), including useful exercises in how to write it with the correct stroke order, the textbook moves at a steady pace through new vocabulary and grammar forms, making sure to reuse vocabulary and grammar from past chapters as you move forward. Occasionally certain exercises introduce supplemental vocabulary, such as a list of college majors, which is then gradually reintroduced more formally in later chapters and books.
My one caveat is that you will find these textbooks difficult at times if you don't know any Korean speakers of whom you can ask questions. The books are clearly meant to be used in a classroom setting — much of the vocabulary is about schools, dormitories, etc. — and many of the exercises have one or two items, usually toward the end, that push the limits of your understanding of a new grammar form, or that require supplemental explanation from a teacher.
That said, I have been able to progress steadily with these textbooks in a way that was simply beyond me with any other available series. If you're serious about learning Korean, Integrated Korean is the way to go.
Average customer rating:
- Heartfelt, shocking, and an opportunity to "cleanse"
- Very valuable
- transformational book
- Rev Theresa Claytor, GCFP, CLL
- Another rediculous rip-off
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Zero Limits: The Secret Hawaiian System for Wealth, Health, Peace, and More
Joe Vitale , and
Ihaleakala Hew Len
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0470101474 |
Book Description
Praise For Zero Limits
"This riveting book can awaken humanity. It reveals the simple power of four phrases to transform your life. It's all based in love by an author spreading love. You should get ten copies of it——one for you and nine to give away. It's that good."
—— Debbie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of The Dark Side of the Light Chasers
"I love this book! I feel it will be the definitive personal-change/self-help book for at least a generation and viewed as a watershed event by historians. There is real potential for this book to start a movement that will end war, poverty, and the environmental devastation of our beloved planet."
—— Marc Gitterle, MD, www.CardioSecret.com
"This book is like a stick of dynamite, and the moment you start reading, the fuse is lit.
It blows away all the complex and confusing success paradigms of the past and reveals a refreshing and clear path to transform your life with just one simple step. As you explore Zero Limits with Vitale, be prepared for a journey that is both challenging and inspiring beyond anything you've imagined."
—— Craig Perrine, www.MaverickMarketer.com
"There are more than 6 billion different manifestations of human existence on the planet?and only one of us here. In Zero Limits, Vitale has captured the truth that all great spiritual, scientific, and psychological principles teach at the most fundamental level. Boil it all down to the basics and the keys are quite simple—— the answer to all life's challenges is profound love and gratitude. Read this book; it's a reminder of the truth and ability you already possess."
—— James Arthur Ray, philosopher and bestselling author of Practical Spirituality and The Science of Success
"Wow! This is the best and most important book Vitale has ever written!"
—— Cindy Cashman, www.FirstSpaceWedding.com
"I couldn't put it down. This book elegantly sketches what I've learned and learned about in twenty-one years of personal study, and then it takes it to the next level. If you're looking for true peace along with 'the good stuff,' then this book is for you."
—— David Garfinkel, author of Advertising Headlines That Make You Rich
"Zero Limits is Vitale's adventure into the most mind-altering reading experience of your life."
—— Joseph Sugarman, President, BluBlocker Sunglasses, Inc.
Customer Reviews:
Heartfelt, shocking, and an opportunity to "cleanse".......2007-10-14
At first I was dissuaded from reading Zero Limits by some of the negative reviews on Amazon, which stated that the book was simply a tout for Vitale's seminars and other products.
Still, when I found the book in a local bookstore and looked into it. I was quite surprised by what I discovered. A book with "heart," insight, and some quite fascinating information.
Some reviewers have complained that the book simply reveals the four key phrases of the modern ho'oponopono technique, and never does offer any deeper secrets of the practice. That is true, but if someone really practices those so-called "basics" of Love, Forgiveness, Apology, and Thanks till they resonate in every area of one's life---then one's Life becomes an almost miraculous succession of divinely-inspired events.
The book essentially describes Vitale's meeting and subsequent relation with Dr Ilhaleakala Hew Len, a proponent of "modern ho'opononono," which was devised by Morrnah Simeona from the ancient Hawaiian practice. Dr Len became an internet legend when the story of how he "cured" a ward of criminally insane patients by doing nothing more than cleansing HIMSELF was disseminated online.
In general terms, the ancient version of ho'oponopono was a community affair in which Elders and members of the community would come together to resolve problems according to spiritual principles for the good of each individual and the group as a whole.
The modern version is a solitary practice in which one attempts to correct wrongs in oneself on all levels. The very far-reaching and mind-blowing concept is that ANY wrong which comes into our life in ANY way becomes a part of US, and we are now responsible for it. We then can "cleanse" this within our own heart and soul.
So, for example, if we pick up a newspaper and read about some terrible crime committed in a distant state, that crime then becomes a PART OF US, since it is now in OUR consciousness. And we can then "cleanse" the effects of that crime in ourselves by seeking love, apology, and forgiveness. And our cleansing will then radiate out into the world at large.
That gives a whole new and much more challenging significance to the "we are all one" bromide that is rife in much spiritual and new thought literature.
If we are REALLY "all one," then each of us must take full responsibility for anything that comes into our life. And then "cleanse" it.
Joe Vitale conveys this idea thoroughly in the book by citing his own experiences in applying the technique, as well as his encounters and numerous discussions with Dr Hew Len.
All in all, I really liked this book, and in some ways, it has become a life-changing read for me. Since applying the "zero limits" technique in my life, numerous good things have happened for me, both financially and in family relationships. The idea is that as one goes on cleansing and cleansing, one can reach a state in which anything is possible---Zero Limits.
Joe did give me one special opportunity to "cleanse." I discovered that much of his chapter "What Exceptions?" as well as numerous instances of his purportedly personal conversations with Dr Hew Len, had been copied verbatim from an interview between Dr Hew Len and Cat Saunders, published in 1997!! http://www.drcat.org/articles_interviews/html/hotfudge.html
Well, I guess I'll just go on "cleansing" my diminished respect for Vitale.
Nonetheless, that aside, the book is sure to give you a totally different view about how to transmute "problems" both personal and "outside" yourself into the much higher frequencies of Love, Forgiveness, and Thanks.
That alone is invaluable and makes this book a great and unforgettable resource for positive living.
Very valuable.......2007-10-13
Even though I had attended a seminar with Drs. Vitale and Hew Len, I found this book to be highly worthwhile. Points that were obscure in person became much clearer in print, for some reason. In all honesty, I had seen/heard/read much of the material in this book before. That does not diminish the value of it, though. Sometimes we need to have material presented to us in more than one way before we get it. This was certainly worthwhile for me. Your mileage, of course, may vary.
transformational book.......2007-10-05
Zero Limits can only be described as life altering. The pure and simple practices of the Hawaiian healing method detailed in the book can literally change the world as we know it.
Rev Theresa Claytor, GCFP, CLL.......2007-10-04
This book is so simple that it is hard to fathom. I have been using this ancient Hawaiian healing system and it has been working for me. In order to let go of hoping I can forgive somebody else for a perceived wrong, I just ask to be forgiven. I now know that everything exists within me and not out there. So the way out of a problem is to go within. Thanks I needed that.
Another rediculous rip-off.......2007-10-03
Nothing but sales pitch for his other books, his seminar, and he says nothing about real Ho'O Ponopono.
And I am disgusetd by his published claim that he is "The Jesus of Business".
Average customer rating:
- A Novel To Be Savoured!
- Common Humanity
- Empathy Without Borders
- All the Trappings of a First Novel
- History without pretenses; a riveting story that crosses all borders
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The Welsh Girl
Peter Ho Davies
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0618007008 |
Amazon.com
Following two widely praised short-story collections, Equal Love and The Ugliest House in the World, Peter Ho Davies's first novel, The Welsh Girl, deserves to be equally well received. It carefully examines two great themes, dislocation and cowardice, through the stories of a WWII POW camp built by the British in the remote mountains of northern Wales and Esther, the 17-year-old Welsh girl at the heart of the story. The POW camp, filled with Germans, is yet another national insult, as far as the Welsh are concerned, only one of many instances of prejudice between and among the novel's characters: Welshman against Brit and vice versa, Brits and Welshmen against Germans, Germans against Jews. Some of these enmities are age-old antagonisms; others are newly-minted political killing machines.
Davies introduces a Welsh concept--cynefin--for which there is no English equivalent. It means a certain knowledge and sense of place that is passed down the matrilineal line in a flock of sheep. They always know where they belong and never leave their own turf. It is a perfect metaphor for much of what takes place in this carefully plotted story, and for the displacement felt by many of the characters. Esther longs to escape her village, yet is devoted to the flock and to her father. She meets Colin, an English soldier, in the pub where she works. He is a rough sort and things end very badly between them.
Another theme visited again and again is the concept of cowardice. Is it cowardly to save one's life and the lives of others by surrendering to the enemy? Is death the price that must be paid to be considered brave? The German POWs debate this endlessly, especially Karsten, an intelligent, sensitive soldier who did surrender himself and his men when it was clear that all was lost. When he and Esther find one another under impossible circumstances, Davies renders their relationship perfectly: it is star-crossed, but desperately important to both of them, setting them both "free" in the truest sense of the word. The Welsh Girl is a beautifully told story of love, war, and the accommodations we make in the midst of both. --Valerie Ryan
Book Description
From the award-winning author Peter Ho Davies comes an ambitious and moving wartime romance in the tradition of "The English Patient and Atonement". "The Welsh Girl" begins with a provocative but little-known fact of World War II: the British held German POWs in camps in remote Wales, a proud land with age-old antagonisms toward England. Davies?s beautifully written novel imagines the unexpected and perilous romance that blossoms between a secretive local girl and a German prisoner, and explores the indelible bonds of love and duty that hold us to family, country, and ultimately our fellow man. The Welsh girl of the title is Esther Evans, seventeen, the daughter of a shepherd in the rugged Snowdonia Mountains, who works at the local pub. It is 1944, and the war comes to her village just after D-day in the form of a new POW camp. Although the presence of the English guards is only grudgingly tolerated at the pub, the arrival of the German captives brings the entire village to the hillside above the camp. At first Esther watches from a distance, but her attention is soon caught by one of the soldiers, Karsten Simmering, a troubled young man who has begun to question what he is fighting for. One evening, as Esther lingers by the camp fence, she is astonished when Karsten calls out to her in English. The fates of these two become inexorably entwined when their relationship takes a treacherous turn that calls into question all their assumptions about national and personal loyalty.
Customer Reviews:
A Novel To Be Savoured!.......2007-10-15
What a great novel. It's a somewhat slow moving story, but I enjoyed that aspect of it. The book could be savoured that way. I truly enjoyed the Welsh setting and the characters were all very well developed. Great account of the effects of war on civilians.
Common Humanity.......2007-09-07
The story of a half jewish German national reluctantly forced by his mother to flee to Britan in the 1930s where he becomes an interrogator of German prisoners for the British forces as World War II is ending. He believes his ancestry to be of no significance but it renders him bewilderingly ineffective while interviewing the notorious Rudolph Hess. Sent, in consequence to work at a prinsoner of war camp in Wales his life intersects with well-drawn characters who too find that llife is what is lived and not what is imagined or planned. That the vanquished can be kind and the victors rapists are just two of the many textures of life that Peter Ho Davies brings warmly and ruefully to light. That German hated the Jews and the Welsh hated the British discouragingly means, I suppose, that our common humanity requires that we hate or feel superior to someone.
Empathy Without Borders.......2007-08-21
This gem of a novel is not designed for those who prefer action books with linear plots; it's as real as life itself. From the start, I believed in these characters -- Esther, the Welsh girl...Karstan, the German POW...Jim, the young English boy.
The Welsh Girl can be read in so many different ways: as a story of connections that span boundaries and defy expectations. Or it can be read as a novel of identity. Peter Ho Davies write: "We have something in common, you and I. The same dilemma. Are we who we think we are, or who others judge us to be? A question of will, perhaps."
By the end of the novel, each character will wrestle with this question. The POW will learn the true meaning of "to surrender." The young English boy will find out what "courage" is all about. And the Welsh girl, at the center, will discover about cynefin -- a Welsh quality that has no English translation, but loosely translates to the flock knowing its place. And each will define himself or herself further by comparison with a presumed dead Welsh soldier, whose identity seems to be in the eye of the beholder.
I was enchanted by this novel, the first by the author of Equal Love, a fine short story collection. I'd recommend it wholeheartedly for true readers who are fascinated with love, family, loyalty, and national identity.
All the Trappings of a First Novel.......2007-07-13
Not to harp, but this book had all of the unfortunate qualities of a short story writer attempting the fateful first novel. As a first, it's good enough, but not more than that, and hardly "luminous" or compelling as penned in other editorials.
The primary plot of the book does not even get going until well into the novel, and we are not even introduced to Karsten, one of the main characters, until several chapters in. The writing borders on poetic at times, particularly with Davies' capture of the countryside and life in a rural Welsh village, but such is not the stuff of a great novel. It smacks of good short story writing, and that's all.
Another disappointing aspect of The Welsh Girl is the failure of its subplots. At the outset, the text seems to want to focus on a British soldier named Rotherdam, and his interrogation of Rudolph Hess; Hess has been held captive in Wales for some time. Rotherdam and Hess appear again in two subsequent chapters, but their narratives are never fully linked to that of Esther and Karsten, nor does this "subplot" ever truly enhance or highlight the main narrative. It has the feel of a separate story being mashed into another.
Lastly, I was extremely disappointed in the ending of this "novel." In point of fact, it did not really have an ending. The closing chapter is simply a summation of what those in the village are doing after the war, we get a snapshot of Esther alone, raising her child, and the loose knowledge that Karsten stayed to help her and has since gone off. There is some suggestion that maybe he is unable to return, since he went home to Soviet-occupied Germany, but there is no satisfactory explanation of what really happened. The book ends abruptly and pointlessly, with no real closure.
Overall, I found this underwhelming. It had the possibility of being a wonderful piece of historical fiction, but in the end, I think the author fell into the mistake of thinking a novel is just one long story.
History without pretenses; a riveting story that crosses all borders.......2007-06-27
I bought this book on a whim; prompted by the amazon.com-Gods.
If you know anything about the UK geographical divisions, or even if you have only seen photos of the picturesque countryside, you will be enthralled by this story. If you are intrigued by human stories of WWII, you will be intrigued by this story. If you have ever been misjudged in a situation, you will relate to this story.
Peter Ho Davies creates three characters : they are brought to life by circumstances and his narrative descriptions. You come to appreciate all three for who they are.
It is a page-turner to be sure - as the reader waits to discover how three unlikely people will happen upon one another in a world torn by war, prejudice, hatred, and nationalism.
Although the book has been finished for weeks now, I am still thinking on their fate....
Customer Reviews:
A Very Fine Chinese Textbook.......2007-07-30
My travels to China inspired me to begin learning Chinese. I just completed this beginning text with my native Chinese tutor, and I cannot believe how much I have learned! This book presents the language in a well-structured method, offering grammar, vocabulary, sentence patterns, review exercises and cultural notes. The accompanying CDs ensure correct pronunciation and a chance to develop your ear for the spoken language. In my opinion, the book has everything! I can already carry on a little conversation in Chinese. Now it is on to the intermediate book in the same series!
Text Ok, CD's Terrible.......2007-04-06
This text book is okay, but not stellar as far as language texts go. There doesn't seem to be enough practice dialogue or examples of how the words are used in everyday conversation. It just needs to be fleshed out a little - the information is too sparse. The accompanying CD's, however, are TERRIBLE. They rush through the words and conversation with no pause at all, so you have no time to even figure out what they are saying, much less try to repeat it yourself. There is no repetition either. I don't use the CD's at all anymore - they're useless.
Very nice book.......2007-03-28
I just got this book and am pleased with the presentation and the CD's. It is for the absolute beginner, which is great! However if you are accustomed to "learn in your car" style language series, you will either be disappointed or at the very least, surprised.
The book is written with the idea that it is used in a classroom setting, which for undisciplined learners may be frustrating. It also assumes that you have a firm grasp on the technical details of the English language, so if you struggled in high school English with things like verbs, adverbs, participles, sentence structure, etc. you will probably find the discussion frustrating.
The CD is intended to be listened to while you read the chapter exercises. It's not a pronunciation CD; personally I read the lesson with it, and later just turn the CD on in the background at work so that I can get used to hearing the language. Again, BEGINNER Chinese. You aren't going to be an expert speaker at this level, you just need to learn the foundations of the language and the sounds. To that end, this book is great.
It's a great introductory book that is inexpensive, and by the end of it you will know if you want to continue studying the Chinese language.
Excellent tool for learning Mandarin.......2007-03-15
I have been teaching Mandarin Chinese for years and this book is one of the best Mandarin textbooks I have seen. It is easy to understand, and also includes useful vocabulary, grammar, and cultural notes in each lesson. Along with the book, there are 2 audio CDs with recordings of the dialogues from the book. I highly recommend it.
Excellent learning tool.......2007-02-07
Yong Ho does a superb job of presenting both the written and verbal language in this "basic chinese" guide book and audio CD's. I agree with all of the positive reviews thus far, as well as a few of the negative ones. For the price, the value of this book to someone learning mandarin chinese is indispensible. Let me add some additional comments:
- There is no "fluff" in this book. It's basic, simple, and (most importantly) well organized. Sure it's not 100% perfect, but good enough.
- It's a small and light book - perfect for traveling.
- I agree that first 15 pages is technical but if you are serious about learning this language it is very relevant material and well written. Who says you have to read it first? Just skip it and go directly to Chapter 1.
- The language points and insights added to the learning experience and value of this golden book.
- The audio CD's were clear and perfectly usable. Tracks 1-3 of CD#2 does indeed not match page 151. The vowels were "hidden" next to page i (Intro)
Book Description
The essential premise of this book is that theory and practice are equally important in describing financial modeling. In it the authors try to strike a balance in their discussions between theories that provide foundations for financial models and the institutional details that provide the context for applications of the models. The book presents the financial models of stock and bond options, exotic options, investment grade and high-yield bonds, convertible bonds, mortgage-backed securities, liabilities of financial institutions -- the business model and the corporate model. It also describes the applications of the models to corporate finance. Furthermore, it relates the models to financial statements, risk management for an enterprise, and asset/liability management with illiquid instruments. The financial models are progressively presented from option pricing in the securities markets to firm valuation in corporate finance, following a format to emphasize the three aspects of a model: the set of assumptions, the model specification, and the model applications. Generally, financial modeling books segment the world of finance as "investments," "financial institutions," "corporate finance," and "securities analysis," and in so doing they rarely emphasize the relationships between the subjects. This unique book successfully ties the thought processes and applications of the financial models together and describes them as one process that provides business solutions. Created as a companion website to the book readers can visit www.thomasho.com to gain deeper understanding of the book's financial models. Interested readers can build and test the models described in the book using Excel, and they can submit their models to the site. Readers can also use the site's forum to discuss the models and can browse server based models to gain insights into the applications of the models. For those using the book in meetings or class settings the site provides Power Point descriptions of the chapters. Students can use available question banks on the chapters for studying.
Customer Reviews:
Not recommended.......2007-09-17
"Hodge-podge" is the first term that comes to mind after reading this book. The breadth of topics is notable, but the material itself is far from satisfactory as applied to the real world. If someone offers to pay you to read this book, it would be worth reading. Also, please note that several five-star reviews were written professionally for promotional purposes.
Much worse than Hull's book.......2005-05-20
Ho and Lee's book is not bad, but not as good as Hull's book. First, this book tries to include everything, making it not easy to learn for beginners. Second, the definition in this book is not very clear as hull's book. Third, after reading the book, I really don't know what are models for and how to implement these models; hence, I still have to refer these model from Hull's book.
Excellent Book.......2004-10-07
The field of quantitative financial modeling, young as it is, has seen a massive explosion of published books in recent times. While it may appear that there is now a wealth of literature on financial modeling out there, the sad reality is it has become very difficult to find well-written comprehensive books. Dr T. S. Y. Ho and Prof S. B. Lee's book is in my opinion the most comprehsive book on financial modeling since J. Hull's book. Their book even takes a big step further than John Hull in setting a mathematical framework for consistent valuation of derivatives, corporate liabilities and valuation of firms (Corporate Finance).
This is a an excellent book for researchers, practitioners and students alike. Readers will benefit from a wealth of academic and industrial experience of the two authors, which is very well portrayed in every section of the book. In addition to the book they provide a free interactive website (www.thomasho.com) where one can be more intimate with the financial models discussed in book. One may recall that Dr Ho and Prof Lee are the authors of the Ho-Lee model.
Fake reviewers.......2004-07-17
I am afraid that the 3 reviewrs before me are the same person.
Amazon makes it quite easy for promotional wizards to do that so sales can be increased.
So far there is not even one review that tackes or critisizes this book. Are we all that perfect or should we become a victims of made up book?
Brilliant educational project.......2004-04-04
Most textbooks on financial modeling are devoted to describing specific models, such as those for stocks, bonds, or options, or to their specific applications such as arbitrage trading and portfolio management. Few books describe the financial principles behind the models and tie the models to business solutions.
The Oxford Guide to Financial Modeling by Thomas S.Y. Ho and Sang Bin Lee (yes, the authors of the Ho-Lee model, the first arbitrage-free interest rate model) successfully ties the thought processes and applications of the financial models together and describes them as one process which provides business solutions. The authors very ably explain all the models used in finance, take the financial theory and modeling to the next level and develop a business model framework that integrate the fields of corporate finance, fixed income, derivatives, and Asset & Liability management.
Each chapter begins by introducing a practical problem. The financial models that provide solutions to the problem are then described. The chapter concludes with how the models can be applied. Because of the nature of the material on financial models, the book presents many results as mathematical formulations, yet the text is very enjoyable as the more rigorous mathematical derivations are deferred to the appendices and to the epilogue.
What really makes The Oxford Guide to Financial Modeling a brilliant educational project and just not another excellent textbook is the companion web site that serves as an interactive workbook designed specifically for the book. The site is designed to further enhance understanding of the use and applications of the models referred to in the book and it is accessible free of charge.
Book Description
Presenting an exciting and alternative slant to existing dishes -
Menu Degustation - Tasting Menus of New Asia Cuisine consists of a wide collection of New Asian recipes, to be served as a tasting menu. The recipes are presented in serving order, starting from appetisers and intermezzos to main courses and desserts. It ranges from a sample 5-course to 12-course dinner menu. This way, different dishes can be selected and prepared as a menu degustation for a complete gastronomical experience.
Inspired by Japanese Kaiseki-ryori cuisine, author and chef, Anderson Ho believes in a simple approach, using the freshest produce to create complex tastes, textures and colours. Based in Singapore, Anderson - best known for his New Asian approach to food which marries Eastern and Western cooking techniques and interplays diverse ingredients - had travelled extensively for competitions and events overseas and had taken the opportunity to exchange ideas with foreign chefs and to experience the wide range of cuisines of the places that he visited.
Always eager to offer an alternative slant to existing dishes, he has a penchant for reinterpreting recipes in order to present unlikely yet compatible inter-marriages of Eastern and Western ingredients.
A sample 6-course dinner menu includes:
- Cauliflower Espuma with Sevruga Caviar
- Salad of Sweet Water Marron with Honey Tomato, Mesclun Salad and Japanese Whitebait Crisp "Tatami Iwashi"
- Green Pea Cappuccino with Green Tea Sorbet
- Braised Lamb Shank with Parsnip "Bone" Chanterelle Mushrooms and La Ratte Potato
- Earl Grey Tea Ice Cream with Churros
Customer Reviews:
Not to be confused with..........2007-07-15
This is a 1985 work describing a family/small-group conflict resolution method. It may be competent social work research, it may accurately describe authentic Hawaiian tradition; I'm not competent to assert or deny either. It is written fairly, however - the author is careful to describe her subject as "one style of ho'oponopono" (page 8), and to insert appropriate disclaimers, e.g., only two of the eight practioners interviewed were using the conflict resolution method "regularly" when she completed the book (page 101).
What hasn't been made clear in the book description or in recent reviews is that this conflict resolution method has very little in common with the fundamentally-individual methods described by Joe Vitale and Dr. Hew Len in their "Self-Identity Ho'oponopono". The two books agree with a general definition of the word "ho'oponopono", and then diverge in both philosophy and application.
Some readers will find this book more useful than Vitale/Hew Len's book; some may find this style of ho'opnonopono more useful than the "Self-Identity" style. No readers should find them to be the same style, however.
Four stars for those interested in family/small-group conflict resolution, four stars for those interested in another view of ho'oponopono, one star because the University of Hawaii Press and Amazon.com really should use the summary of the book on its back cover as an editorial review here.
Average: three.
Traditional Hawaiian problem solving techniques.......2007-01-10
Actually I haven't had a chance to read the book, I lent it to a friend who loves it so much she won't give it back. She teaches 4th grade and is using these techniques to incorporate Hawaiian culture to her students. She says the book it wonderful and I believer her.
Aloha
Alan
I Love You. .......2006-10-14
Joe Vitale sent me an email all about this amazing healing technique and it has helped tremendously! Thank you Joe and Dr. Len for sharing this with the world.
By the way, An audio recording was made using this technique, it's well worth downloading it!
[...]
Native Hawaiian Wisdom.......2003-07-04
Ho'oponopono ("to make right")is a universal "conflict resolution/healing" method from Hawaii. The book provides a systematic overview of this system with many practical examples. It is the classic text on the subject. It should be of interest to health providers, anthropologists, sociologists, etc. Have you ever wanted to understand how to improve your relationships with or for others? This book conceptually spells it out for you, but it is a specialized skill.
Book Description
The new Color Atlas and Synopsis of Clinical Ophthalmology Series is a unique combination of text, quick reference, and color atlas, covering every essential sub-specialty in Ophthalmology including pediatrics. Each title features more than 150 color illustrations throughout and a short, succinct format which in most cases, includes: Epidemiology and Etiology, History, Physical Examination, Differential Diagnosis, Laboratory and Special Examinations, Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Management.
Customer Reviews:
Essential reading for ophtho residents........2007-03-10
I strongly recommend the entire Wills Eye Series for ophthalmology residents. Full color photos and concise descriptions. More useful in a pinch than the BCSC series, although note that this series has no test questions.
Book Description
Ho Chi Minh is one of the towering figures of the twentieth century, considered an icon and father of the nation by many Vietnamese. Pierre Brocheux's biography of Ho Chi Minh is a brilliant feat of historical engineering. In a concise and highly readable account, he negotiates the many twists and turns of Ho Chi Minh's life and his multiple identities, from impoverished beginnings as a communist revolutionary to his founding of the Indochina Communist Party and the League for Independence of Vietnam, and ultimately to his leadership of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and his death in 1969. Biographical events are adroitly placed within the broader historical canvas of colonization, decolonization, communism, war, and nation building. Brocheux's vivid and convincing portrait of Ho Chi Minh goes further than any previous biography in explaining both the myth and the man, as well as the times in which he was situated.
Books:
- Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
- Hartmann Schedel: Nuremberg Chronicle (Taschen Jumbo Series)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Books Index
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