He fully understands the relationship between collaborative technology as it relates to project management in a large enterprise environment.

As he so well points out... "the speed which one implements technology relating to process management in order to accomplish large tasks" will differentiate success from failure. This is a "must read" for senior management if they wish to survive in a complex "project management", collaboration /Internet environment. How to utilize technology to accomplish this is the key!!

A great resource for management.

Mr. Shield clearly gets it!!".

He fully understands the relationship between collaborative technology as it relates to project management in a large enterprise environment.

As he so well points out... "the speed which one implements technology relating to process management in order to accomplish large tasks" will differentiate success from failure. This is a "must read" for senior management if they wish to survive in a complex "project management", collaboration /Internet environment. How to utilize technology to accomplish this is the key!!

A great resource for management.

An excellent overview of a very complex and timely subject. I especially liked the ERP/E-Business Matrix and the discussion of regions, companies and assumptions underlying it. I found the discussion of "adaptive" vs. "disruptive" changes helpful and insightful. Very concise and to-the-point, a quick & easy read, but one which should be internalized over a longer period of time. Covered a lot of ground in less than 200 pages. Overall, an excellent addition to my bookshelf.

Would, however, have liked to see a bibliography & some footnotes for the statistics cited

The concept behind Tey's *The Singing Sands* immediately drew me in. A bit of poetry written on a newspaper leads the inspector to solve a crime that only he believes is indeed actually a crime. Yes, very interesting. However, once I started reading I found the pacing a little slow. Grant was far more introspective, more concerned with his own fears, than most mystery protagonists. Which was not, by any means, a bad thing. I just had to adjust my mindset a bit. Once I realized that this was not to be a typical solve it and feel good mystery, I found myself sinking in, slowly. Admittedly, it took me a couple of days after finishing the novel to appreciate it, to find it a satisfying read. But one thing has definitely come from reading *The Singing Sands*--I'm now looking forward to reading more Josephine Tey novels.

Because I have always adored The Daughter of Time, I recently spent a weekend with The Singing Sands, The Franchise Affair, and The Man in the Queue. Singing Sands I found compelling and satisfying in an old-fashioned way -- we get a deep, poetic examination of the hero's psychological journey and his Scottish surroundings. Fine irony and good jokes at the reader's expense made me enjoy this book even more.
DO read this Josephine Tey -- but, if you are wise, do not expect a similar treat from her first mystery, The Man in the Queue: the world of that book is too far away from ours.

This book is definitely my favourite of the Ins. Grant series. It is truly unfortunate that Ms. Tey was taken from us so young. Just think what she would have written! This book was published posthumously after her untimely death. It is as perfect a mystery as you will ever come across. In the book Grant is going on a holiday. On the train that he has taken to go to Scotland to visit friends, a young man is found dead in his room. It truly looked like misadventure, but something about it disturbed Grant and got him searching a trail that took him to the Hebrides, back to London, and to Marseilles. And what actually got him going on this impossible search were a few lines of poetry scrawled on a newspaper that the young victim had had with him before he died. Wonderful story!

As a light reading coffee table book, or perhaps as a gift for that someone (personally, I think this would work well for men or women), this book is a rare hit in a sea of duds. The introduction by Liza Dalby is fluid, vivid, and only adds to the illustraitions and poems themselves (despite breezing over and making deliberate exadurations of several points, but his has become something of her trademark it seems).

The problem with this book is not exactly what it had as what it doesn't. Although, yes, the title does say "Poems of Love and Longing by the Women Courtiers of Ancient Japan", there was just as much (probably more surviving) poems written by men which express, although not in the same way, just as much passion as the women of the time. Not only that, but there are any number of poems written by men from a woman's perspective (the monk Sosei's in the Hyakunin Isshu is one of the more famous). Not only that, but in many cases in the imperial anthologies the translations are take from there are numerous "conversational poems" between lovers that could have been included without a hitch. I fear this book gives too much the impression that it was only the "great women of the past" who were responsible for expressing such emotion. I doubt, though, that anyone is looking to any time soon put together a book of men's love poetry from the same era.

Another thing that would have been nice to know is who selected the poems, and whether there was any rhyme or reason to the selection. Looking back over where the poems were originally taken from (not exclusively the Heian period, mind you. Some come from a bit before and a bit after), it only seems like a selection from other people's translations, particularly from the love section of imperial anthologies. Not that this is bad, but it could be construed as being a bit lax. That, or the collector (not author) was incapable of making any new translations themselves. This isn't exactly a point to complain about, since books like this help to spread at least some awareness of Japanese literature. Still, using the knowledge that the love section of the anthologies were set out to tell the story of lovers, from their first meeting untill their final parting, might have made for a more interesting read.

Coming this far, it sounds like I hope no other books along these lines surface. Quite the opposite. I hope to see many more in the days and years to come. The literature of Japan, particularly its ancient and medieval poetry, are all too often overlooked because they have nothing visibly to do with Zen or samurai. In particular, the fact that Japan up to its modern era had a long history of love poetry, fiction, and even "self-help" readers, is all but unknown beyond Japan's boarders.

So, for anyone looking for a Valentine's Day or Sweetest's Day (anyone still doing this?) gift, you may have just found it. For those looking for something more complete in the way of literature, try the sources for the poems here-in, such as McCullough's Kokin-Wakashu or, better yet, Cranston's A Waka Anthology.

Ah, the bewitching age of dynasties never fails to fascinate with the lovely and lyrical verses of longing...These poems have that passionate elegance - a spark that is about to burst into flame. The collages make for a truly exquisite gift. Read this with a lover - or a potential lover! Try writing your own! Like desire itself, I found myself wanting more.

Oh, sisters of my heart, how I have longed to hear your voices. What a delight to find works from Japanese women poets. If you've already read Jane Hirshfield's "The Ink Dark Moon" and loved it, I know you'll like "Erotic Spirit: An Anthology of Poems of Sensuality, Love, and Longing" Edited by Sam Hamill.

In 1972 my father gave me a copy of this book in his efforts to instill in me the joy of reading. I still have that book and still love reading it after all these years. 31 years later I still enjoy it.

Zane Gray is a master of the western tale. His books cover the western expansion from the French and Indian wars right down to the 50's. This particular book is more historical than others, but still rich with action and romance. Don't miss out on this and other books by the "King of the West". I have read nearly all of his 30+ books, and find myself master of all the major and minor events the Western expansion. His plots grow slightly repetative (boy meets girl, ect.)but her never sets his stories in the same year or "territory". His best book is "Riders of the Purple Sage".

As a descendant of Betty Zane, I found the book to be very enjoyable. How exciting it was to picture the everyday life of an ancestor. I know that the book is fiction, but it is also based on events and people who were real. Betty's run for gunpowder, is a documented fact, as was much of the history presented. My Great-Grandfather was a third cousin to Zane Grey, so this makes it even more special. I was not a Zane Grey reader before, as "Western Books" did not interest me. But as soon as I learned of the family connection I headed right for the library to read "Betty Zane" for the first time. I am purchasing a copy for my mother and my 10 year old grandson, as well as for myself. I guess this make me a Zane Grey fan now.

A lovely lovely book. Richard Grant has upped the ante on Peter S. Beagle's talking raven and dead folk from "A Fine and Private Place" like a writer on a dare and morphed and mutated and created a book so original and wild and funny that it bears re-reading and re-reading. This book impressed the hell out of me. And besides, Tex and Molly listen to some of my fave 60s tunes.

This is a great book if you're looking for something out of the ordinary. It's a great story about some nature lovers and friends fighting to save their local forest, but it has many interesting twists. Great pagan-celebrating, tree-hugging, funny, full of surprises, and afterlife-stuff read.

Tex & Molly is simply one of the best books I've read in ages. My boredom with what usually passes for fiction crumbled before the majesty of Richard Grant's zany genius. I am all admiration for how he can draw characters so well, sharply observing their foibles, and yet still loving them all so tenderly. Dickens also was such a writer.

Penrod Schofield is a very bad little boy. Well it is not even that he is a bad child it is just that he gets blamed for every thing that happens; for instance when his sisters dress disappears and ends up in dukes dog house and Penrod got blamed for it even though duke took it. He enjoys writing, and playing with his dog Duke who is almost always with him. Penrod thinks of himself as the class clown and tends not to be very truthful. Penrod has an unimportant role in the school production of The Round Table, but do not tell him that because he thinks if he dose not go the show will not go on with out him. Through out the book Penrod grows up a lot in my opinion for example he tell his father the truth at the end of the book which I did not think would happen. He does get in a lot of trouble whether it's eating too much candy or squealing on his sister.

I did not like Penrod because it was in my opinion aimed more for boys and not as much towards girls or maybe it was just me but I was not entertained through out the whole book. There were most definitely parts I liked for example parts were Penrod is in conversation; one part I did not like was the excerpts from Penrod's book about how Mr. Wilson is killed. I liked the conversational parts because through out the book you are kind of in Penrod's head, and I did not like that. But in conversation you sort of get both views from both people not just what Penrod thinks. Don't lie because no one will believe you even if you are right, that is the moral of this story. I hope my review helped.

The Penrod series of novels is one of the most effective evocations of the experience of being a child ever written. They deal with the daily life and trials of a boy of eleven and twelve in turn of the century (1900) Indiana. The humor is found in the petty hypocrisies of the adults and the naivete of the children and how those two things intertwine. If you have ever day-dreamed in school or yearned for the favor of the prettiest girl in your class, you will appreciate these stories. NB. They are period pieces of the purest kind, so you should expect terms and attitudes to reflect the age from which they come.

"Penrod" is a great novel -- interesting, enlightening, profound, grandiloquent and one of the most hilarious books ever written.

Aspects of the subject matter, however, while generally accepted in the early 1900s and treated kindly herein by the author, would simply not fly under today's political-correctness coercion. As far as popular literature is concerned, it is effectively a banned book. Consequently, "Penrod" eventually will fade from general literary consciousness, and linger only in the memories of those who truly appreciate a fine novel.

First of all I foundt this translation to be clear and readable, something that I have come to expect from Michael Grant.
But the material is what baffles me. Cicero is considered the greatest Latin orator and writer, having a concise and interesting style. Personally, I find him to be very long-winded, and I realize this is due to a shortened attention span, but nonetheless, he could have made many of his points with two examples instead of ten.
I also find it ironic that Cicero paints himself to be the epitome of Republican Roman values, a man who stood completely for the decrepit and dying Roman Republic. Yet, he was a great friend of Pompey, a man who's goal it was to acquire dictatorial power, albeit within the confines of Republic. Yet he despises Caesar for aspiring to the same goal. Caesar was simply a better general, shrewder politician and a more charismatic man than Pompey, and he deserved to win.
So, I give 2 out of 2 stars for the translation, but 1 out 3 for the material. It is instructive if one is interested in the ancient world (which I am), but the average reader will no doubt find it dull.
Mildly reccommended.

Marcus Tullius Cicero is one of the most well known Romans and probably the one who has influenced the course of Western intellectual thought more than any other. Cicero was a lawyer, philosopher, statesman, and defender of Rome's republic. He was not a member of the Roman elite but fought his way into gaining their acceptance and respect by the power of his mind and by mastering the ever important art of rhetoric.

This particular compendium of Cicero's works is a good starting point to get to know the man Cicero. Included are two of Cicero's most famous philosophical treatises, "On Duties" and "On Old Age", selected letters of Cicero ranging on topics from his son's studies to his worries about Julius Caesar and Pompey, and his second Philippic against Marc Antony.

The weakest selection has to be the Philippic against Marc Antony. What we are introduced to here is the public, unpolished Cicero engaged in the fine art of mud slinging. This is not in and of itself a problem as I am a big fan of the political brawl; however, a rant such as this seems beneath a man of such great intellect as Cicero. What this tirade does show though is Cicero's genuine love of his country and its republican institutions. Cicero lived at a time when the Roman republic was being destroyed by ambitious men, like Caesar and Antony, who sought to make Rome their personal empires. It was over his struggle against these forces that Cicero eventually lost his life.

What really recommends this particular issue of Cicero's works is the translator, Michael Grant. Grant pens a tremendous introduction to these works that fully explains the difficulties of translating 2,000 year old Latin into modern English. It's Grant's introduction which really sets up these selections to be enjoyed as the work of art that they are.

Michael Grant has done it again with this wonderful translation of some of Cicero's finest work. Designed to give the reader an overview of this great master it shows you just how diverse a writer he really was, and why he cast such a shadow over European prose for the next thousand years.

An intriguing interlude in the Overland Campaign of 1864 between the battles of Spotsylvania Courthouse and Cold Harbor, Gordon Rhea continues his impressive study of this period with "To the North Anna River". Manuever, as opposed to carnage, dominate this work and shows Rhea's continued evolvement as a writer as well as an historian.

We start where "The Battles for Spotsylvania Courthouse" left off with both armies entrenched before the Mule Shoe at Spotsylvania. Rhea discusses the thinking of both Generals Lee and Grant as each labors to decide what to do next. Another unsuccessful attack at the salient is orchestrated by Grant before he makes the first move by deciding to disengage and manuever Lee out of his trenches. He advances Winfield Hancock to the southeast with the idea of using him as bait to get Lee to follow. This strategy works as Lee starts his army southward toward the North Anna river. Troop movements and lost opportunities dominate this portion of the book as Grant and Lee engage on the next portion of the campaign. Cavalry battles also are covered at this point as Union General Philip Sheridan drives the Federal cavalry on a threatening movement towards the Confederate capital at Richmond. Rhea then discusses how this movement, although somewhat successful, ultimately hurt the Union cause.

Lee then wins the race to the North Anna by taking advantage of Grant's lack of intelligence that Sheridan's cavalry would have provided. He (Lee) then entrenches south of the river as he waits to see what Grant will do. The battles at Henagan's Redoubt and Jericho Mills (both Union victories in the maneuver to the North Anna) set the stage for the highlight of the book which is the defensive posture that Lee now incorporates. Rhea shows how Confederate chief field engineer Martin Smith "proposes an ingenious solution" that results in the famous inverted "V" entrenchment below the river. This fortification has the added advantage of splitting Grant's army below the river and (if Grant attacks) would give Lee a stunning victory. Grant initiates offensive probes and becomes increasingly concerned that his troops are trapped. The little known battle at Ox Ford on the North Anna is the final proof that he needs. Lee meanwhile becomes ill and fails to delegate to his subordinates his instinctive thought to attack and the opportunity is lost. Rhea ties all this together with some of his best writing to date: "Lee had slept little in the twenty harrowing days since Grant had crossed the Rapidan. He often worked after midnight and was generally awake by 3:00 A.M. Dysentery was endemic in the Army of Norhtern Virginia, and Lee had contracted the illness by the time he had reached the North Anna. Normally even-tempered and robust, he was now irritable and rode in a carriage. On the afternoon of May 24 Lee was seized with violent intestinal distress and his aide pronounced him 'quite unwell'. The Confederate commander lay confined to his tent, 'prostrated by his sickness' with a single thought dominating his mind 'We must strike a blow'. But the Army of Northern Virginia could not strike a blow. It required a firm hand to coordinate so complex an undertaking. In better times, when Jackson and Longstreet commanded the wings of the Confederate army, Lee had liberally delegated responsibility. But Jackson was dead and Longstreet disabled and Lee lacked confidence in their successors." Grant then realizes the danger of his position and extricates his forces to the Northern side of the river. His decision to maneuver again "by the left flank" to the southeast closes out the text portion of the book.

Rhea then ends the book with an excellent Epilogue section in which he discusses the heretofore unknown battle at Wilson's Wharf on the James River showing for the first time the fighting tenacity of the Federal's black troops and also whereby he draws conclusions that differ somewhat with the contemporary standard: "Historians have considered Lee's inability to attack on the afternoon of May 24 a lost opportunity of major proportions. In retrospect, it is doubtful that even a healthy Lee could have dealt a decisive blow. He would most certainly have wrecked much of Hancock's corps, but he would have lacked the strength and time to exploit the localized victory. Nightfall would likely have prevented him from crossing the North Anna. Grant could take severe casualties in stride. Terrible subtractions in the Wilderness and at Spotsylvania Court House did not deter him, nor did severe losses at Cold Harbor in the coming weeks. It is difficult to imagine Hancock's defeat inducing him to abandon his campaign. Sickness doubtless cost Lee a superb opportunity to damage an isolated portion of Grant's army at the North Anna River, but the lost opportunity should not be exaggerated. Judging from Grant's reaction to earlier and later setbacks, he likely would have treated defeat at the North Anna as a tactical reverse and gone on with his campaign."

Judiciously written and masterfully researched (Rhea discloses in the Introduction that little of any substance has been written on this period due to the confusing state of exisiting material), Gordon Rhea has created (in my opinion) another masterpiece, further fortifying his standing as one of the outstanding contemporary Civil War historians. I give this book a very high recommendation.

Gordon Rhea continues his study of Ulysses S. Grant's grinding Overland Campaign against Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. The third volume continues where his the first two volumes left off. Like the first two books, the tone is lively and interesting. Rhea does an excellent job conveying the thought process and difficulties involved in the major decisions made by both Lee and Grant. Rhea makes clear the reasons Lee was losing faith in Hill and Ewell. He continues an excellent analysis of the fractured Union command structure from the first two volumes expanding on the rift between Meade and Grant and the lack of talent among the corps commanders.

Rhea poignantly portrayed the misery and destruction in the Wilderness and at the Mule Shoe in his first two books. Those types of scenes are not in this work, but he successfully portrays the every day life of the common soldier on both sides. One such example is his vivid description of how fast the Confederate cavalry disintegrated after the disasterous battle at Yellow Tavern.

For the individual interested learning about the Civil War and the men of the conflict, this book is a necessary bridge between Spotsylvania Court House and Cold Harbor. This period is marked more by confusion and maneuver than bloody fighting. This work is a pause from the effusive bloodshed of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor where the reader can learn more about how Lee and Grant thought and how they adapted to the most competent foe either general faced in his career. We can only hope Mr. Rhea continues his study beyond Cold Harbor into the trenches of Petersburg.

Gordon C. Rhea's account of the Civil War in Northern Virginia covering the period after the Wilderness Battle through the fighting south of the North Anna River in late May 1864 is well written. During this period, Lee and Grant took measure of each other. Grant had only experienced Confederate generals in the West and probably had limited respect for Lee's generalship. The general officers of the Army of the Potomac, having fought Lee since June 1862, had few reservations regarding Lee's ability prompting Grant to remark to his staff on May 6 to "Think what we are going to do ourselves, instead of what Lee is going to do." Lee lacked direct experience with Grant but there is no indication that he questioned Grant's ability. Lee's problem was he didn't know how Grant thinks, reacts, etc. In many respects this book is an account of how Grant and Lee got to know each others abilities.

Chapter II details Sheridan' raid threatening Richmond . Grant and Sheridan took great pleasure in the defeat of J.E.B. Stuart. Sheridan had defeated his cavalry and killed Stuart. However, the Confederate Cavalry Sheridan defeated in May 1864 was not the same splendid cavalry that J.E.B. Stuart had led on his June 12-15, 1862 ride around McClellan.. By May 1864 Stuart's mounts were tired, worn out and hungry with no replacements. His cavalrymen were also tired, hungry and replacements were at best limited. Perhaps stung by Lincoln's remark "Who ever saw a dead cavalryman?" Sheridan seems to have had a personal vendetta against Stuart. As Rhea notes serious criticism can be leveled against Sheridan's campaign as it deprived Grant of badly needed scouting thus "severely handicapped Grant in his battles against Lee." Grant should have learned this lesson in the Wilderness when critical union cavalry scouting was also absent.

The major battles/engagements from Spotsylvania Court House to the North Anna River are narrated. However, this book is primarily a discussion of commands with emphasis on Grant and his subordinates. Failure to react to promising situations are documented for both Lee and Grant with both failing to capitalize on significant opportunities. Referring to Lee the author noted that "His performance was a masterpiece of defensive fighting . ."; however Rhea notes several cases where Lee missed a significant opportunity and/or incorrectly judged Grants intended course of action.

The author notes an interesting situation regarding the frequent remoteness of Grant and his commanders from the field commanders at critical times. Referring to Lee's army moving down Telegraph Road virtually unmolested the author wrote regarding Grant and Meade "After nightfall they made no attempt to coordinate the movements of their corps and seemed content to leave decisions in the hands of local commanders. The union army floundered like a force without a head for several critical hours."

Finally, Rhea stated that this campaign suggests the two generals had "suprisingly similar military temperaments. Both were aggressive and willing to try unorthodox maneuvers." In essence both generals came out about equal. Grant's great strength laid in his firm support of the strategy to destroy Lee's army which was Lincoln's strategy. While Lee's true strength was his ability to turn unfavorable situations to his advantage.

In his biography of Partick Henry, Vaughan complains that previous biographers were unfair to the legendary statesman. Thus, he moves to correct this historical error by bringing forth a laundry list of glowing facts about Henry. While Vaughan does have a point about previous renderings of Henry's life, he does little to paint a more accurate picture of the orator. Rather, he glosses over Henry flaws, and presents us with a candy-coated version of the man. And Henry was a man--a good man, but a man nonetheless. Unfortunately, this biography fails to recognize that.

What a delightful read this book has been. The author displays a clear and deep admiration for his subject, but I find no fault in that. The book reads very easily without a lot of stilted verbiage, making it a wonderful introduction of the great orator to the student.

There is not a lot of detailed analysis here, but I don't believe that was the authors' intention. This work is meant to be an outline and introduction Henry, the Trumpet of the Revolution.

The work is actually presented as three separate volumes in one binding. Part 1 takes the reader from birth to death, touching on the momentous occasions, as well as a good bit of reference to the details of life which shaped the life of Henry. Part 2 gives Henry's views of some of life's virtues, such as Christianity, patriotism and duty and gives an insightful look at the character of this great American. Part 3 concludes with how Henry has been remembered by history, and how he should be remembered.

Overall, a delightful read which I highly recommend to students or anyone wishing to gain a basic insight to a great American patriot.

It was wonderful to see Patrick Henry's Christian values and belief on the LORD JESUS CHRIST openly written about. I enjoyed it completely and would recommend it to any who enjoy studying the Revolutionary War. BUY IT!