Margaret Blair analyzes the two major theoretical approaches to corporate governance and then persuasively refutes the notion, central to both, that maximizing shareholder value is the only legitimate mission of a corporation. The key to her argument, that shareholders are not the only bearers of residual risk, is intuitively obvious in light of the changing nature of work in many sectors of American industry; however, I have never seen the point made with such analytical rigor.

Blair reviews how the governance of public corporations in the U.S. is supposed to work, in theory and by law. She compares the traditional economic rationale for corporate governance structures, which stress shareholder and/or management models of control. Then, she posits a more broadly based stakeholder model, based on a reexamination of the basic wealth creating purpose of the corporate form. Building on trends which note the declining cost of capital, relative to total production costs, and the increasing significance of investments in firm-specific human capital, Blair makes several recommendations concerning how corporate governance systems might evolve to enhance long-term wealth creation for all parties. Her critical analysis contains many insights which deserve wide circulation and debate.

If it is possible to secure The Paris Review - Interview with writers published by Penguin through the 1970's and 80's

The Paris Review is the best literary magazine around (even though they've rejected all of my stories). But anyway, the interview and stories are top notch. I love the blend of unknown writers and famous writers. This issue is especially good, for it's a concept issue, "New British Writing." The forum is excellent, with each author asked to give their opinion on, of course, the state of "British" literature. Furthermore, George Plimpton is very inspiring. Just reading an issue wants to make you write better or start your own magazine.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were realistically drawn with ordinary faults and insecurities.
A completely charming story.

Two delightful and believable characters fall in love with charm and humor.

I found this book both charming and insightful. Used it with my child to look at what was around us in a new light. We played a game imagining what else the Red String could do. We made Red String bracelets that we both wore. I also found comfort in it as a metaphor for how a child gradually becomes an individual seperate from his Mother (The Red String,child, leaving the drawer, Mother) and has adventures that lead him further from home while remaining connected. I think of this as I watch my child grow and strike out in delightful ways.

Wonderful book with simple creative illustrations -- would be great to use for motivation and ideas for a child's own creative picture-making...would be great in a classroom as well... each student could make a picture with a red string and they could all be attached and displayed. Teaches perspective, point of view, creativity, and imagination. If you like this one, check out The Purple Crayon by a different artist. Similar idea.

Books of this quality are rare. For anyone interested in the underlying patterns which orchestrate existence, this book superbly details, describes, compares and analyzes major cosmological concepts and ideas. I heartfelt wish the author, drawing upon 25 years of living these ideas, would write a sequel discussing what he has learned through his sojourn in Indonesia.

A must read for those interested in seeing the connection of mysticism and our natural world.

This book will stand the test of time. Published in 1975 at the height of the "consciousness movement" of the 60's & 70's this book blends myths, magic and religion to modern natural science and leaves the reader wanting more. Author Blair takes the reader on a step by step journey through the transformation of consciousness from the past to the present supported from the microcosm to macrocosm.

This book is a comfortable read though in its simplicity it evokes the reader's own sense of wonderment about the world around him/her.

A friend in work loaned this book to me some weeks ago. I read it at every spare moment and since finishing it i cannot stop thinking about it. The story is about a girl who has a rough upbringing and there is plenty of good old fashioned romance and tear jerking storylines.I have never read such a brilliant book.

This is a superb book (as are all her others)! My grandmother let me borrow this book when I was back home in Scotland visiting for the summer and I started it at 11 p.m. and finished it a 5 a.m. I could not put it down. This is about a young girl who is sold to an orphanage in Glasgow because her parents can't afford to keep her and when she becomes of age she is shipped to Canada with a load of other children and they are sold as wokers on farms. She receives scarlet ribbons as a gift and it is her one true prized possession because it is all she really has of her own. The story follows the young girl into adulthood and her search for love. Of course the scarlett ribbons have meaning but if I say any more it will ruin it for you. The characters are so well developed that they will creep into your heart and will stay there forever. If you have time to sit and really enjoy this book - do it!!!! I can't say enough about it. If you love this one, you will love her other books too.

This is an excellent resource for those students who study french and are reading Sherazada in literature or grammer classes. It also is a wonderful book.

I truly enjoyed Sherazade. I read it in a North African women's literature class in college. . . it opened my eyes up to a totally different culture. Sherazade is a young woman searching for her true identity, attempting to reconcile her past with the present. I recommend this book for any one who is interested in reading about growing up in a different culture.

This book is a very well written guide to the essentials of business management. No techno-babble, no haughty wordiness. Direct, succinct, and funny at times. Nice book for those of us who have too much of this type of stuff to read.

This book doesn't have nice illustration or fancy pictures, but covers all the major aspects of managing, without boasting or waffling. It's very well written, so I would define it a "VERY USEFUL" book.

Stealing the show is an awesome book. I like Sabrina Wells because of her bubbly personality and short height, because I'm short, too! Sabs and I have alot in common also because we love acting and are both very dramatic!

Stealing the show is a very funny book. I enjoyed reading it a lot and would love to read more books from this series. In this book Sabrina Wells tries out for the part of Sandy in her school play Grease. The only problem is Stacy tries out for Sandy and gets the part. Sabrina is given the role of Frenchy and does very well. A very funny part is when Sabrina tries to die her hair Blonde but it ends up orange.

As just another digger I found this book to be most worthy.
Having been through the training regimes as recommended by Ted Serong in Australia and having the understanding of the type of war we were involved in I could never understand the manner in which the Americans fought the war.
After reading this book I now understand it to have been a distrust of non American ideas and arrogance of the"we know better" type and impatience, thinking always that bigger is better rather than looking at quality.

The Vietnam War, and especially the reasons for its loss, from both military and political standpoints, will continue to be a matter of importance for those who are concerned with the survival of democracies.

Much has been written on political considerations, but military questions have been more neglected. Hence this book, which examines the role of Brigadier Ted Serong in the conflict, will be of great interest to a variety of readers.

Anne Blair is a research associate with the National Centre for Australian Studies at Monash University. Her interest in Serong is well-based. He had a central role in the development of military strategy and tactics, although to a large extent his views conflicted with those ultimately applied by the United States in Vietnam.

Early during his time in Vietnam, Serong concluded that the American forces were not properly directed, and that the South Vietnamese Army also should have directed its efforts in different ways.

He was involved in the development of the Police Field Force (PFF), with the aim of destroying the structures of the Vietnamese Communists in rural and mountain areas, and also the networks by which guerrillas obtained weapons, food, information and recruits.

Serong's concept (which is particularly persuasive in retrospect) was that the PFF would clear areas of Viet Cong influence, thus freeing the South Vietnamese Army (the AVRN) for combat against the North Vietnamese regiments that were operating in the border areas.

Unfortunately the United States forces showed a lack of patience, and were not prepared to support adequately the gradual advance of the program.

The PFF was absorbed by other US mission programs in 1966-67, but Serong himself remained invaluable and was consulted constantly by government advisers and by military commanders at the highest level.

At all times, his perceptions of the strategic position were sound. For example, he was one of the first to appreciate that the 1968 Tet Offensive constituted, contrary to media reports, a militarily disastrous loss by the Communists.

This book is very valuable. It is well researched. The author had the advantage of numerous conversations with Serong, and her account is expressed carefully, with much detail and appropriate references.

It is impossible to read it without concluding that Serong is a great Australian, and a great man in any context, a figure of enormous importance whose advice, had it been followed properly, would probably have led to a different result in Vietnam.

It is therefore a book which, in addition to its general readership, should be studied closely by military strategists and tacticians, and by the various academics, think-tanks and institutes which are so influential in the application of political and military policy.

- I.C.F. Spry, News Weekly book review, Melbourne, Australia