Driven to Distraction or Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism

Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood Through Adulthood

Author: Edward M Hallowell

THE NATIONAL AUDIO BESTSELLER

Procrastination. Disorganization. Distractibility. Millions of adults have long considered these the hallmarks of a lack of self-discipline. But for many, these and other problems in school, at work and in social relationships are actually symptoms of an inborn neurological problem: ADD, or Attention Deficit Disorder.

Through vivid stories of the experiences of their patients -- both adults and children -- Dr. Edward R. Hallowell and Dr. John J. Ratey show the varied forms ADD takes -- from the hyperactive search for high stimulation to the floating inattention of daydreaming -- and the transforming impact of precise diagnosis and treatment.

Driven to Distraction is a must listen for everyone intrigued by the workings of the human mind.

Library Journal

Hallowell and Ratey offer a fine addition to literature on ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). The authors employ a broad, general definition of ADD (``high-energy, action-oriented, bottom-line, gotta-run-type people'') and continually emphasize the special, positive qualities of people with ADD. They describe how ADD affects adults--many Americans mistakenly think of it as a childhood curse--and explain how the American temperament helps create ADD-like symptoms. Best of all are the stories and case studies of myriad folks who have dealt successfully with their diagnosis. A state-by-state list of support groups are included in this excellent approach to an intriguing subject.-- Linda Beck, Indian Valley P.L., Telford, Pa.

Table of Contents:

	Preface: A Personal Perspective
1	What Is Attention Deficit Disorder?	3
2	"I Sang in My Chains Like the Sea": The Child with ADD	41
3	"Sequence Ravelled Out of Sound": Adult ADD	70
4	Living and Loving with ADD: ADD in Couples	107
5	The Big Struggle: ADD and the Family	126
6	Parts of the Elephant: Subtypes of ADD	151
7	How Do I Know if I Have It? The Steps Toward Diagnosis	195
8	What Can You Do About It? The Treatment of ADD	215
9	A Local Habitation and a Name: The Biology of ADD	269
	Acknowledgments	287
	Appendix: Where to Find Help	289
	Index	305

Book about: Turbulence in World Politics or Surpassing Realism

Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism

Author: Max Weber

This brilliant study opposes the Marxist concept of dialectical materialism and its view that change takes place through the conflict of opposites. Instead, Weber relates the rise of a capitalist economy to the Puritan determination to work out anxiety over salvation or damnation by performing good deeds — an effort that ultimately encouraged capitalism.

Times Higher Education Supplement

Max Weber is the one undisputed canonical figure in contemporary sociology.

Booknews

Arguing that classic works should be translated every generation, and that the essay here was last translated into English some 70 years ago, Kalberg (sociology, Boston U.) strives to make the text accessible to undergraduates and general readers and to retain the integrity of the work with a close-to-the-text translation. In addition to the essay itself, which was published in a two parts in a social science journal in 1904-05, he has included two related documents by Weber (1864-1920). Cited in . Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

How to Start a Conversation and Make Friends or Business Writing

How to Start a Conversation and Make Friends: Revised and Updated

Author: Don Gabor

For nearly twenty years, small-talk expert Don Gabor has helped thousands of people communicate with wit, confidence, and enthusiasm with his bestseller How to Start a Conversation and Make Friends. This new edition brings the art of having a conversation up to date.

By following the simple and dynamic guidelines in this easy-to-read book, you'll be ready to strike up a great conversation with anyone anywhere! And you'll learn how to keep the conversation going by asking the right questions, using body language effectively, and avoiding conversation pitfalls. Packed with charts, hundreds of opening lines, real-life examples, FAQs, helpful hints, and solid professional advice, How to Start a Conversation and Make Friends shows you how to:

• Identify your personal conversational style
• Talk to people from other countries and cultures
• Avoid mistakes while on a mobile phone or on-line in chatrooms
• Boost your personal and professional speaking skills to the next level

See also: Brandy Trade under the Ancien Regime or Dinners in a Dash

Business Writing (Quamut)

Author: Quamut

Quamut is the fastest, most convenient way to learn how to do almost anything. From tasting wine to managing your retirement accounts, Quamut gives you reliable information in a concise chart format that you can take anywhere. Quamut charts are:

• Authoritative: Written by experts in their field so you have the most reliable information available.
• Clear: Our explanations take you step-by-step through everything from performing CPR to threading a needle.
• Concise: You’ll learn just what you need to know—no more, no less.
• Precise: Quamut charts include detailed text, photos, and illustrations to show you exactly how to do just about anything.
• Portable: Your know-how goes with you wherever your projects lead.

Write your way to the top.

Good writing is the foundation of good business: the ability to communicate concisely and effectively with employees, customers, and the public will help you get ahead. Differentiate yourself from the competition by learning:

• The dos and don’ts of effective business writing
• Tips on organization, tone, grammar, style, revision, and proofreading
• Guidelines for writing memos, press releases, sales letters, emails, and more

Stocks for the Long Run or In Search of Excellence

Stocks for the Long Run: The Definitive Guide to Financial Market Returns & Long-Term Investment Strategy

Author: Jeremy J Siegel

THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO HIGH-RETURN, LOW-RISK EQUITIES-NOW UPDATED TO COVER GLOBAL STOCKS AND ETFS

Stocks for the Long Run set a precedent as the most complete and irrefutable case for stock market investment ever written. Now, this bible for long-term investing continues its tradition with a Fourth Edition featuring updated, revised, and new material that will keep you competitive in the global market and up-to-date on the latest index instruments.

Wharton School professor Jeremy Siegel provides a potent mix of new evidence, research, and analysis supporting his key strategies for amassing a solid portfolio with enhanced returns and reduced risk. In a seamless narrative that incorporates the historical record of the markets with the realities of today's investing environment, the Fourth Edition features:

• A new chapter on globalization that documents the how the emerging world will soon overtake the developed world and how it impacts the international economy
• An extended chapter on indexing that includes fundamentally-weighted indexes, which have historically offered better returns and lower volatility than their capitalization-weighted counterparts
• Insightful analysis on what moves the market and how little we know about the sources of big market changes
• A sobering look at behavioral finance and the psychological factors that can lead investors to make irrational investment decisions

A major highlight of this new edition of Stocks for the Long Run is the chapter on global investing. With the U.S. stock market currently holding less than half of the world's equity capitalization, it's risky for investors not todiversify abroad. This updated edition shows you how to create an “efficient portfolio” that best balances asset allocation in domestic and foreign markets and provides thorough coverage on sector allocation across the globe.

Stocks for the Long Run is essential reading for every investor and advisor who wants to fully understand the market - including its behavior, past trends, and future influences - in order to develop a prosperous long-term portfolio that is both safe and secure.

Interesting book: Every Landlords Tax Deduction Guide or Leadership Presence

In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America's Best-Run Companies

Author: Thomas J Peters

The now classic volume that became an immediate bestseller as well as a landmark business book. "One of those rare books on management that are both consistently thought-provoking and fun to read."--Wall Street Journal

Wall Street Journal

Exuberant and absorbing . . . one of those rare books on management that are both consistently thought-provoking and fun to read.

New York Times Books of the Century, reviewed March 6, 1983 - Fran R. Schumer

. . .[H]ighly readable and sensible. . .finds the secret of business success not in the head but in the heart. . .[through] respect for the individual, devotion to service and attention to the customer.

The Wall Street Journal

Exuberant and absorbing . . . one of those rare books on management that are both consistently thought-provoking and fun to read.

Fran R. Schumer

. . .[H]ighly readable and sensible. . .finds the secret of business success not in the head but in the heart. . .[through] respect for the individual, devotion to service and attention to the customer. -- New York Times Books of the Century, reviewed March 6, 1983

Table of Contents:

Acknowledgments

Special Acknowledgment.- David G. Anderson

Preface

Introduction

PART 1: THE SAVING REMNANT

1 Successful American Companies

PART II: TOWARD NEW THEORY

2 The Rational Model

3 Man Waiting for Motivation

PART III: BACK TO BASICS

4 Managing Ambiguity and Paradox

11 Simple Form, Lean Staff

12 Simultaneous Loose-Tight Properties

Notes

Index

Everything I Know about Business I Learned at McDonalds or Tuned in

Everything I Know About Business I Learned at McDonald's: The 7 Leadership Principles that Drive Break-Out Success

Author: Paul Facella

An unparalleled insider’s look at the management practices that have made McDonald’s a household name on six continents--that everyone can use

What is it about McDonald’s that has made it not only the number-one fast-food franchise in the world, but a branding icon second only to Coca-Cola for world wide name recognition? Few people are as well qualified to answer that question as Paul Facella. Beginning behind the counter at age sixteen, Facella literally grew up in the company’s culture. From counter, to grill, to Executive Vice President, Facella, over the course of his distinguished thirty- four year career at McDonald’s, developed an intimate knowledge of the fast-food behemoth’s management practices as well as personal ties to its legendary leaders, including founder Ray Kroc, and former president Ed Rensi and former CEO Fred Turner.

In Everything I Know About Business I Learned at McDonald’s Paul Facella takes you inside to offer for a uniquely intimate and authoritative look at the McDonald’s organization, system, and culture. He extracts powerful lessons for managers, executives, and entrepreneurs in all industries on leadership, people development, and teamwork.

Book review: Beating the Street or The White Mans Burden

Tuned In: Uncover the Extraordinary Opportunities That Lead to Business Breakthroughs

Author: Craig Stull

Do you resonate in your market?

When it comes to creating and bringing new offerings to market, "tuned out" organizations get it wrong. They ignore the signals that reveal which problems buyers want solved and which solutions they will happily pay for. "Tuned in" organizations, on the other hand, take a radically different approach. They tap into the wider mind of the market and connect deeply to what their buyers value most, creating breakthrough offerings—called "resonators." These resonators offer value so immediately apparent that they seem to sell themselves.

Tuned In shows you six simple, yet powerful, steps to creating products, services, or ideas that resonate right out of the gate.

Uncover Opportunities Others Don't See

"When companies think they know what customers need, it invariably ends badly. Tuned In shows step by step how to create unique products and services in areas that established organizations fail to recognize."

—Rob McGovern, founder of CareerBuilder.com, and Chairman and CEO of Jobfox.com

Gain a Sustainable Competitive Edge

"This is a unique and fresh approach to how today's fortunes are made."

—Rick Page, author of the #1 sales bestseller Hope Is Not a Strategy

The Real Difference Maker

"The most important thing a CEO has to do is make sure his or her company is, and stays, tuned in. There are ongoing challenges with people, culture, strategy, and execution, but the real difference maker is consistently producing products and services the market loves."

—Steve Bennett, former CEO of Intuit Inc.

Build Deep Connections with YourMarket

"Tuned In'is a straightforward, commonsense approach to making connections with the marketplace. Authors Stull, Myers, and Scott have given us a great reminder of what so many established stars, and those on their way, already know: find out what your fans want, and find a way to give it to them."

—Jody Nachtigal, Personal Manager at Arcadia Group Management, and Co-President of Kissing Booth Music

Publishers Weekly

This well-reasoned and useful guide argues that successful innovators can develop products that "resonate" by connecting deeply with consumers. This simple idea is delivered in a conversational tone and illustrated in well-structured chapters laying out a six-step "Tuned in Process" and examples that span borders and industries. From anecdotes about countryside hotels that sprouted up to provide respite for Japanese salarymen to Nalgene plastic bottles, which escaped the laboratory to achieve cult status and ultimately mass market consumer appeal, fascinating case studies abound. However, as appealing as the concept and the many examples are, the enthusiastic presentation begins to grate; the repeated invocation of the "Tuned in Process" may tire readers looking for more subtlety and fewer sound bites. Still, there is sufficient fodder for anyone who wants to shake the sleep out of an organization and renew a focus on creating the kind of value that customers are willing to pay for. (June)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Thinkertoys or The Bridge at the Edge of the World

Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Creative-Thinking Techniques

Author: Michael Michalko

This is an updated and expanded edition of the best-selling Thinkertoys, which is considered by many to be the classic book of creative thinking techniques. The original ground-breaking first edition was widely acclaimed by readers and reviewers. The Wall Street Journal reported 'this book will change the way you think." Women In Business lauded it as "one of the most important business titles of the decade," Success magazine described it as a "fun-to-read book which helps you to create and act on ideas," USA said "believe it or not, this wonderful book will have you challenging the seemingly impossible every day," Executive Book Summaries praised it by saying, "What we need is a compendium of ways to solve problems. And that's exactly what you get in Thinkertoys" Entrepreneur acclaimed it as "required reading for anyone in business," the Futurist said "Thinkertoys" shows you how to do what you think can't be done," and the AMA called it "the most significant book on creativity published in the last twenty years."

This new edition contains updated examples, three new Thinkertoys and an entirely new group brainstorming section with five new chapters. Michael is also the author of Thinkpak (A Brainstorming Card Set), which is a novel creative-thinking tool that is designed to facilitate brainstorming sessions and Cracking Creativity (The Secrets of Creative Geniuses) which describes the common thinking strategies creative geniuses have used in the sciences, art, and industry throughout history and shows how we can apply them to become more creative in our business and personal lives.

From the Author
Most people of average intelligence, given data or some problem, can figure out the expected conventional response. When confronted with problems, we fixate on something in our past that has worked before. We ask, "What have I been taught in life, education or work on how to solve the problem?" Then we analytically select the most promising approach based on past experiences, excluding all other approaches, and work within a clearly defined direction towards the solution of the problem. Because of the soundness of the steps based on past experiences, we become arrogantly certain of the correctness of our conclusion. Typically, we think reproductively, that is on the basis of similar problems encountered in the past. This is why we so often fail when confronted with a new problem that is similar to past experiences only in superficial ways, or on the surface, and is different from previously encountered problems in its deep structure. Interpreting such a problem through the prism of past experience will, by definition, lead the thinker astray. Reproductive thinking leads us to the usual ideas and not to original ones. If you always think the way you've always thought, you'll always get what you've always got--the same old, same old ideas. My "Thinkertoys" are creative-thinking techniques that will change the way you think. Each "Thinkertoy" contains specific instructions and an explanation of why and how it works including anecdotes, stories, and examples of how others have implemented the technique to produce their breakthrough ideas.

New interesting book: Good Fat or The Best Is Yet To Be

The Bridge at the Edge of the World: Capitalism, the Environment, and Crossing from Crisis to Sustainability

Author: James Gustave Speth

How serious are the threats to our environment? Here is one measure of the problem: if we continue to do exactly what we are doing, with no growth in the human population or the world economy, the world in the latter part of this century will be unfit to live in. Of course human activities are not holding at current levels—they are accelerating, dramatically—and so, too, is the pace of climate disruption, biotic impoverishment, and toxification. In this book Gus Speth, author of Red Sky at Morning and a widely respected environmentalist, begins with the observation that the environmental community has grown in strength and sophistication, but the environment has continued to decline, to the point that we are now at the edge of catastrophe.

 

Speth contends that this situation is a severe indictment of the economic and political system we call modern capitalism. Our vital task is now to change the operating instructions for today’s destructive world economy before it is too late. The book is about how to do that.

The Washington Post - Ross Gelbspan

This book is an extremely probing and thoughtful diagnosis of the root causes of planetary distress. But short of a cataclysmic event—like the Great Depression or some equally profound social breakdown—Speth does not suggest how we might achieve the change in values and structural reform necessary for long-term sustainability.

Red White and Brew or Crossing the Chasm

Red, White, and Brew: A Beer Odyssey Across the U.S.

Author: Brian Yaeger

Red, White, and Brew is the ultimate beer run across the United States, during which Brian Yaeger visits fourteen breweries of various sizes and talks to founders, owners, brewmasters, consumers, and anyone else he meets on his odyssey and who enjoys the making, tasting, and appreciating of brews.

Red, White, and Brew pursues the roots of brewers who brought their craft with them from their homeland and investigates how the tradition is faring today and where it may head in the future. Covering everything from fifth-generation family-run brewing companies to first-wave microbreweries, this book is a travelogue, guide, and genealogical study of beer families and homebrewers from Portland, Maine, to Portland, Oregon. It is filled with eclectic characters and shrewd businesspeople who populate an industry as old as the New World, and who produce liquid philanthropy, one keg at a time.

Publishers Weekly

Beer-enthusiast Yaeger writes about his travels throughout the country visiting microbreweries, and like most suds aficionados, he has an affinity for so-called craft beers. Throughout his odyssey-starting at the ancient Yuengling Brewery in Pottsville, Pa., and going West before concluding at the upstart Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in Delaware-he spends less time on the many beers he quaffs than he does on portraying the dedicated brewers running these quixotic enterprises. There's good reason for that, as the people he comes across in his journey (crashing on couches, always buying a six-pack sampler of the local brewery's wares on the way out of town) are an uncommonly determined lot. In Yaeger's chatty interviews with the brewers, they talk about the business, the post-1980s renaissance in American beer and the common need to enter into distribution agreements with the likes of Anheuser Busch (if not letting themselves be bought outright). Yaeger's book is a solid and amiable rendering of a tough business. (Oct.)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New interesting book: Fabulous Lovers Fabulous Foods or Conserve Water Drink Wine

Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling Disruptive Products to Mainstream Customers

Author: Geoffrey A Moor

Here is the bestselling guide that created a new game plan for marketing in high-tech industries. Crossing the Chasm has become the bible for bringing cutting-edge products to progressively larger markets. This edition provides new insights into the realities of high-tech marketing, with special emphasis on the Internet. It's essential reading for anyone with a stake in the world's most exciting marketplace.

GIS World Inc. Staff

One of the most thought-provoking books on technology marketing...Moore throws outmoded marketing ideas out the window to clear space for the special realities of the high-tech market.

Computer Letter

Geoff Moore's book is full of good medicine for bad marketing.

What People Are Saying

Jeff Miller
"Must read for marketing executives, CEOs, and especially venture capitalists."

James A. Unruh
"Crossing the Chasm truly addresses the subtleties of high-tech marketing. We have embraced many of the concepts in the book and it has become a 'bestseller' with Unisys."

William V. Campbell
"Must reading for anybody in high tech."

Jim Kouzes
"If you find yourself wondering why it is that the majority of potential buyers for your newest breakthrough technology are not as enthusiastic as your early adopters, read this book or risk joining the others at the bottom of the high-tech abyss."

Dick Shaffer
"Geoff Moore's book is full of good medicine for bad marketing."

Robert K. Weller S.V.P.
"Crossing the Chasm should be the Bible for high-tech companies looking for direction with marketing and distribution challenges. Geoff's model corresponds directly to the launch of Lotus Notes and continues to shape our marketing programs."

Table of Contents:

Introduction

Part I: Discovering the Chasm

Chapter 1: High-Tech Marketing Illusion

Chapter 2: High-Tech Marketing Enlightenment

Part II: Crossing the Chasm

Chapter 3: The D-Day Analogy

Chapter 4: Target the Point of Attack

Chapter 5: Assemble the Invasion Force

Chapter 6: Define the Battle

Chapter 7: Launch the Invasion

Conclusion

Index

Creating a Lean Culture or Rich Dad Poor Dad

Creating a Lean Culture: Tools to Sustain Lean Conversions

Author: David W Mann

Lean production has been proven unbeatable in organizing production operations, yet the majority of attempts to implement lean end in disappointing results. The critical factor so often overlooked is that lean implementation requires day-to-day, hour-by-hour management practices and skills that leaders in conventional batch-and-queue environments are neither familiar nor comfortable with.

Creating a Lean Culture helps lean leaders succeed in their personal batch-to-lean transformation. It provides a practical guide to implementing the missing links needed to sustain a lean implementation. Mann provides critical guidance on developing and using the key elements of a lean management system, including: leader standard work, visual controls, daily accountability processes, maintaining a process focus, managing key HR issues, and much more. In addition, a questionnaire is included to help assess current management practices and monitor progress.

Highlights:

• Distinguishes the much-discussed, abstract concept of "lean culture" from the concrete, implementable practices of lean management.
• Describes and illustrates 4 key principles of lean management: leader standard work; visual controls; daily accountability process, and discipline.
• Shows how visual controls bring process focus to life, tie in lean's requirement for highly disciplined execution, and make leaders' new jobs far easier to explain, model and evaluate.
• Moves beyond models and theories of lean management to show how to implement the daily practices that are the key to implementing and sustaining a lean transformation. Lots of case examples, figures and photographs.

Awards:

Winner of the 2006 Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing Research

Look this: Take Four or New Frontiers in Western Cooking

Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money -- That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!

Author: Robert T Kiyosaki

Argues that a good education and secure job are not guarantees of financial success, and presents advice for accumulating wealth.

USA Today

A startling point for anyone lookng to gain control of their financial future.

Library Journal

Reissuing a self-published best seller.