In this work, Ms. Irene Collins presents to the reader a lovely opportunity to look, not only into the clerical connections of Jane Austen, but also into that of the country parish generally. Those who have read through the charming prose of Jane Austen, yet wanted to take a deeper look into the life of the country parson--a profession so many of her characters possess--would do well to read this book. The main body is composed of nine chapters covering the whole realm of the parson's livng; from his education, to the various neighborhoods he occipied, to the nature and method of worship. Within each she eloquently relates the subject matter to Jane Austen herself; by which, the reader is treated to a lovely portrait of the authoress' life. It also contains several illustrations and eight pages of glossed photographs and pictures. Anyone looking to glimpse into the rural parish of late 18th and early 19th century England, which Jane Austen knew as home, would thoroughly enjoy reading this splendid book.

I purchased my third copy because my three kids have loved it so much that they've worn out the first two by reading it so often. It's their favorite book and has been for three years.

This key is a must for anyone that is seriously interested in reptiles or amphibians. For instructors of Herpetology lab this book will prove to be invaluable, the illustrations and current phylogenetic classifications will aid in teaching.

Kids London is a lifesaver for any parent planning a trip to London! Written in conjunction with the London Transport, the book gives clear directions to all the major landmarks as well as to a variety of children's activity centers (science, art, theater, sports, etc.) and local parks. The author also includes child friendly restaurants, recommendations on shopping, gives an overview of the yearly festivals, and gives examples of daily outing schedules (on all of the listings the address, telephone number, hours of operation, fees, and directions to the site are included). I have found this book indispensable in planning for our stay in London (with 3 children!) and will definately bring it with me wherever we go!

I have read several books and heard countless speakers on this difficult and confusing topic. I have to say, this book by Dr. Tan, is the most intelligent and well balanced book on the sudject to date. I recommend it to anyone who is considering getting involved in this area in one's local church. I also recommend it to any pastor considering starting up a Lay Counseling program in his/her own church. This is a very difficult and emotionally laden topic to discuss, and Dr. Tan has done a superb job. Well Done!

It seems to me that if you are good in managing your life it will carry the idea to be good managers in the company. I think that it is very true.

Vacationing at a dude ranch, Sean and Brian Quinn collect evidence that Nightstar, a valuable race-horse, has been stolen and is being held in a haunted abandoned mine.

What an incredible blessing and tool for anyone who is, has recently become or may become a caregiver. No matter what the physical condition that precipitates the need for caregiving, but especially any brain related situation, this lovely book offers OPTIONS and good sound advice, always presented with warmth and humor. Not only does Ms. Collins share specific information pertinent to living day-to-day with her brain-injured son, but she is also a caregiver's "coach" and relates the importance of taking care of caregiver. Using tools that not only "lighten" the chores at hand (such as learning how to ask for help) but also including with her book another booklet for the caregiver called The Reflecting Pond, where the caregiver can keep close at hand the multiple things that bring them joy, such as sayings, pictures, etc. I have already sent copies of this book to 3 friends with totally different situations and they have all called to thank me for the wonderful blessing.

This book fully deserves 5 stars. I, like most people used to be a critic of welfare, a believer that all people on welfare are lazy, cheating the system. Not anymore. This book will show you honestly that there are many desperate poor in America, that the government actually spends less than 1 percent of its annual budget on welfare, and that fraud isn't what you think. Believe me, I now work in the welfare system, helping people become self sufficent, and life for most of these people is a daily struggle. Don't believe it-read this book, and you will.

Jim Collins operates a management research laboratory in Boulder, Colorado. Together with Jerry I. Porras he wrote the bestseller 'Built to Last' (1994). This article was published in the January 2001 issue of the Harvard Business Review.

This article reports on the author's research into how good companies can become great ones. "We looked for companies that had shifted from good performance to great performance - and sustained it." Eventually, the research identified 11 good-to-great examples who on average outperformed the general stock market by 6.9 times for 15 years. (There is a sidebar explaining the research method.) According to the author and his research team all great companies had one thing in common: Level 5 leaders. "Level 5 leaders are a study in duality: modest and willful, shy and fearless." Level 5 leadership requires personal humility and personal will. But the author notes that it is not just level 5 leadership that catapults these companies into greatness, it also requires vision and strategy, faiths and facts, breakthrough momentum, focus, technology, and discipline. The weakest point in this article is that Collins admits to not being able to answer the question, "Can you learn to become Level 5?" He advises to practice the other good-to-great disciplines which will help you move in the right direction.

This is certainly a great article, which is based on Collins' latest bestseller 'Good to Great' (2001). It provides great insights, based on a five-year research study, on how companies can outperform the market. The only thing that is missing is a 10-step guide to level 5 leadership. I highly recommend this article to managers and MBA-students. I also recommend Daniel Goleman's articles into emotional intelligence, 'What Makes a Leader' (1998) and 'Leadership that Gets Results' (2000). The authors uses simple US-English.