Aliza Sherman writes a powerful guide filled with tips and tools that inspire, challenge and help you grow professionally and personally.

Aliza Sherman's PowerTools For Women In Business is an enthusiastic, can-do optimistic guide that teaches women how to best take advantage of their own strengths and personalities to succeed in the business world. PowerTools For Women In Business is about keeping professional and personal lives in harmonious balance, never sacrificing one at the expense of another, when for women especially they tend to become all too intertwined. Personally imposed barriers to success, and emotional obstacles such as guilt or unease wielding power can be confronted and conquered. Very highly recommended reading for any female executive, especially one who is relatively new to the cutthroat, male-dominated, complex and demanding world of business!

If you're in a need of some inspiration, read this book. PowerTools will get you energized to turn your dreams into a reality. Reading all the touching and motivating anecdotes from other women will empower you to take action to achieve what's most important to you.

This is an outstanding little book -- very insightful and thoroughly enjoyable. I am a pediatrician who has been involved with writing practice guidelines to prevent a very low probability but devastating outcome (brain damage following jaundice in newborns). The discussion of different types of people with different attitudes towards risk helped clarify some of the dynamics of the guideline committees I have been on. In fact, I liked the book so much I sent a copy to the head of the current committee working on these guidelines.

I also like it when people question dogma, and point out ways in which our previous experience and perspectives influence the way we perceive reality. For example, the possibility that use of seat belts by drivers might shift some injuries from themselves to pedestrians and cyclists had never occurred to me.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in risk.

Thomas B. Newman, MD, MPH
Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Pediatrics
University of California, San Francisco

"Risk" by John Adams is one of those rare gems, a book which uncovers a nugget of truth about human behaviour, namely Risk Compensation Theory. Why do we take risks, especially on the roads, in cars, in dangerous situations? Why do some people take more risks than others? Apparently we have risk thermostats which we set to different levels of risk aversion. I saw the tv programme which covered this topic first and then I read the book by Mr. Adams. I was very impressed by the depth of research supporting his theories and by the graphs showing the different rates of fatalities for male/female drivers, for different countries or for different age groups. But I wonder: have we had too much analysis and not enough action at this stage? The trend of fatalities per 1,000 of the population or per 1,000 vehicles on the roads may be coming down in some countries but this is little consolation when the total number of deaths is staying steady or rising worldwide. 25 million have died already and perhaps another billion have been injured. It is time to try another approach.

"Autogeddon" by Heathcote Williams was a brilliant poetic diatribe on the havoc which cars can cause but it offered no solutions to the problem. "Risk" analyses in detail why we take the risks which cause this havoc, but equally offers no complete solutions. "The Joy of Motion" by John B. Gilmore goes a step further and offers a solution to the problems of transport which allows us to take risks and enjoy the thrill of motion at the same time. If you wish to find out more about this book then please email me.

There are few works of nonfiction which I have been inspired to read in one sitting. Adams' _Risk_ is one of those few. It's more than merely accessible: it's fascinating. The writing is more than merely competent: it's enjoyable. Like the best Grisham novels, _Risk_ tells a tale of danger, skulduggery, bureaucracy, wrongful death, human nature, research, reasoning, the revelation and concealment of evidence, and the overturning of conventional beliefs and outcomes.

Adams opens for the lay reader a window into the jargon-laden field of risk assessment and risk management. He brings to the table two qualities usually firmly segregated in the literature: a solid, rationalist facility with the traditional tools of the trade (scientific method, mathematics, statistics, data visualization), and an honest and humane assessment of the incalculable and the social (human variability, social equity, adaptive feedback, and chaotic systems).

Adams' work is brilliantly contrarian, neither eccentric nor slipshod. He challenges the conventional dogma of regulatory safety authorities the world over; he cites verifiable figures from reputable sources to show that the authoritarian approach to risk management has not lived up to its overconfident initial promises. Further, he documents specific cases in which this failure has been denied and concealed, rather than admitted, confronted and used as a springboard to new approaches and more creative thinking.

Adams' particular field of expertise is road/traffic safety, which he had studied for some 15 years at the time of writing. He uses several examples from this realm in the book. He recounts the peculiar history, for example, of mandatory seat belt legislation. Of the eighty principalities and regions which enacted such laws, over twenty years later only one (the UK) offers time-series data which support the initial claims for national traffic fatality reduction.

Yet throughout the industrial world, the axiom "seatbelts save lives" is just that -- axiomatic. The average reader may find this story very disturbing; the beneficial result of seatbelt legislation is almost a religious dogma for residents of the industrial West. Yet it is hard to dismiss Adams' sober collection and presentation of data. His numbers are not from outlaw or revisionist sources; they are official statistics from the same countries which passed the laws.

It's obvious (and crash tests demonstrate) that seatbelt-type restraints must prevent vehicle occupants from rattling around inside a car during a crash, and thereby mitigate injury and/or fatality. Adams asks, therefore, how it can possibly happen that there were not sudden, dramatic, documented reductions in total traffic fatalities for whole nations, after seatbelt laws were enforced?

In answering this and other similar questions of "safety engineering" Adams introduces us to a fascinating problem in risk management theory: "risk homeostasis" or "risk compensation". Individuals, he argues, have a personal "risk thermostat", a risk level at which they are comfortable. If their sense of personal safety is enhanced by protective gear (or even by public information campaigns) then their behaviour becomes correspondingly riskier, until the "set point" of the individual risk thermostat is reached.

Since the risk per individual per hour of traffic injury or fatality is very small, only a slight deviation in behaviour is necessary to raise it significantly. If a driver drives a little faster, brakes a little harder, corners a little more aggressively because of being strapped in securely, then this might easily negate (or more than negate) the risk reduction provided by the seatbelt itself.

In support of this theory, Adams offers the troubling increase in pedestrian and cyclist deaths that immediately followed the UK seatbelt law. If drivers drive a little more dangerously, says Adams, it makes sense that more vulnerable road users would bear the brunt of the increased risk.

Were it not for this sincere concern for social justice, Adams might easily be dismissed as yet another libertarian. Many a safety-legislation skeptic's argument begins and ends with individual rights, resistance to "nanny" legislation, etc. Adams asks a tougher question: if safety means *everyone's* safety, does traditional traffic safety engineering really work? Or does it just shuffle the risk around, making it safer to drive a car more dangerously, but imposing more risk on pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, etc?

This discussion occupies only a chapter or two of this thought-provoking book. Other chapters cover such diverse topics as: a taxonomy of personality types and their responses to risk; virtual risks versus immediate risks; and the fundamental contradictions of "cost/benefit analysis". Adams is forthright in criticizing the narrowness of the traditional highway and traffic engineers' vision. "Road safety engineers" consider their work successful if the fatality/injury rate declines on a given stretch of road. But the fatality rate may have fallen because people gave up walking or biking in that area. As long as the incident rate is low, the road is deemed "safe" -- even though residents and locals may know very well that it is dangerous, and make long detours to avoid it.

Adams argues convincingly that this disconnect between people's real experience on the ground, and the abstract perceptions of planners and authorities, is a serious and intensifying problem. The ingenious adaptibility of human beings to dangerous situations means that the engineers may be presented with false success (a dangerous road looks "safe" because of avoidance response) or with intractable riskiness (risk compensation defeating imposed engineering solutions). Many of the traditionalist solutions into which we pour millions of dollars may simply not work, and the way we measure our success may be faulty as well.

_Risk_ is an excellent introduction to the challenging work of John Franklin, Mayer Hillman, Robert Davis, and other members of the "new school" of road safety analaysis. It is a well-researched, well-written, and deeply provoking book. _Risk_ should be *required* reading for all traffic engineers, police, safety analysts, city planners, parents, insurance company executives, and economists. For the reader with an open mind, _Risk_ will raise more questions than it answers; it offers some really interesting new ways to think about and discuss risk.

If Nisargadatta had been born in California I would expect him to sound much like Robert Adams does in this book. Robert speaks from the position of someone who knows by direct experience like Nisargadatta or Maharshi. The words mostly are as profound as either. Robert also gives practical advice on Self Enquiry and practice in general. Robert calls himself a desciple of Ramana Maharshi as he apparently had a spontaneous awakening as a teenager. A couple of quotes:

"There is only one I actually. That I is Consciousness. When you follow the personal I to the source, it turns into the universal I, which is Consciousness. Begin to catch yourself. begin to realize your divine nature. You do this by keeping quiet. The fastest way to realization is to keep quiet."

"Grass grows spontaneously, but we can imagine we are making it grow with our willpower. The same with the activities of our bodies."

Recommended

i would strongly recommend Robert Adams' "Silence of the Heart" as one of the clearest and most pragmatic approaches to actualizing Advaita Vedanta as a practice. Realizing that Advaita Vedanta is a practice of no practices, Robert does a masterful job of describing many simple, practical approaches to "Truth", approaches that take one out of the habitual mind games and move one to directly face the reality of the present moment. His voice comes not from someone else's story, but from his direct experience as a reporter and observer of his own. All that Robert reports are what one does really find at the end of the approaches and they are reported with as much clarity and simplicity as possible. Strongly recommended for the experienced "nondualist" or meditator who has moved to the end game that is no end game.

This book is simply very good. Read it, read it slowly, read it again. Advaita, American style. Follow the recommendations, they work. Vol. II to follow, hopefully soon.

I was blown away by the down-to-earth descriptions of "psychological marriage" with a parent, how it develops and how it affects future romantic relationships. I was comforted to be able to understand, yet challenged to take action. It explained all of my recent relationship dilemnas with my partner so much that I felt it was written about us. I was comforted to realize that there were real reasons for our problems and yet, I feel scared to open up this topic for discussion between us. My partner has limited insight. Thank you for helping me see that I am not imagining things or going crazy!

The single most important thing I have read in my adult life. It's scary but helpful to find oneself being totally described in the pages of a book...and I found this happening to me here.

This is the single most powerful book I have read on what it means to grow up in a household where the parents are not fulfilling each other's emotional and physical needs. The children become the receptacle for all the frustrated sexual energy the parents are experiencing, even if they are not talking about it. This is exactly what happened to me -- the oldest daughter of an alcoholic and his angry wife. Finally, I understand the "ickiness" (the author's word) I still feel every time I am required to spend time with my parents.

This book talks about the specific, sexualized emotions you experience while growing up in a dysfunctional home that don't get articulated because it's too squeamish to talk about them. And yet, it does so in a very safe and comforting manner. It's like getting the hug and shoulder to lean on that you never got growing up.

Facing the truth of being emotionally used by one's parents is a sobering experience -- but oh what a relief to have these feelings explained and validated. I feel extraordinarily relieved to have read this book -- it gives me new hope for my present, my future and my marriage.

Although the program is designed for ages 8+, I bought it for my homeschooled 5 year old who has been reading since age three. The results were immediate and he is whipping through the lessons painlessly. Minimal time required per lesson, only 15 minutes for the student and 5 minutes for the teacher. I highly recommend it, though it is expensive.

My 7 year old groaned every time we mentioned spelling. She had low confidence in her spelling ability. The first day we started this program--WHAM-- what a difference! She saw that she could spell! She loves the 10 step study pages. Also, she likes that you only have to study the words she missed and not 10 to 20 words a day for a test at the end of the week. In this program, you take daily tests lasting just 5 minutes. Then the missed spelled words are repeated the next day.

I'm looking now for the activity cards. This program is wonderful for homeschoolers and anyone wanting to improve their childs spelling ability.

The author of the book recommends this for grades 3 to 12, but used it with her 5 year old granddaughter. We are using it with our 7 year old who is an advanced reader. Also this 10 step word study helps her with independent learning. She focuses better with steps.

They have their own website if you want more info. Just type Spelling Power into your search engine.

I am a professor for Mercy College. I would like to have a copy delivered to me. I would like to rewiev the book and encourage my graduate students to use the book in their classroom.

My address: Dr. Romulo Macias c/o Mercy College GraduateDepartment of Education Second Floor Office of Dr. Palomini and Dr. Sanchez 50 Antin Place Bronx, New York 10462

This book though dry and technical has plenty of information that is a must have for any aspirinf photographer who wishes to push their black and white print skills furhter. Given that digital camera sales are now out stripping analog cameras will this book still have relevence?

The last of a three book series, this volume provides comprehensive instructions detailing the developing process. Chapters on mounting and displaying photographs are at the books end completing the readers education. This book written by Ansel Adams, made famous for his B&W photographs, will disapoint any reader interested in the art of color photography. This three book collection is a must for any B&W photographer.

Despite the heavy emphasis on chemical and paper, this book's essentially about cropping, contrast control, and presentation. These are the core topics you'll need to master even if you only do digital photos. All the better if you use PhotoShop, because it recreates the controls (like burning and dodging) of a darkroom.

One thing that may be disappointing is the focus on black and white. Color control is crucial in making color prints and intimately tied with contrast.

The three books in this series can be read independently, but together provide a complete clinic from positioning the camera to displaying a final print.

An excellent book to take one from "traditional" Notes application development to development of web applications. Unfortunately, the publishers did a TERRIBLE job of copy editing: references to figures that don't exist or are mis-numbered, paragraphs that end in mid-sentence, mis-formatted tables with items listed in the wrong column.
Deserved much better pre-publication from the editors/publishers and a higher rating.

Simply put, this book is by far, the best Domino book on the market.

I get bored easy, and this book kept my interest (finished it in two days). I like the way important information was presented in tables--easy to use as a reference. If you can't afford to take the Lotus Classes on Domino/Web....get this book! Also, after reviewing the Lotus sampe exams, I would recommend this book as a study guide. NUMEROUS typos in this book (but I can learn to live with that). Wish it was out in R4.6!

It started out so innocently. Molly Doogan's mother was a doctor. Due to the many cases of the flu, Molly and her dad had to wait in the car until the last patient had left the clinic so they could all go home. To kill the boredom, Molly and her father decide to make up a story.

Rairarubia (Rare - A - Ruby - Uh) was ruled by an evil man called Mammoth. Young Romey had no knowledge of her past, but was taken in as a pupil by Bovert and Herman. Sam, a boy her age, was in the same situation. The two teachers train Romey and Sam in all types of fighting, weaponry, and how to live with nature. They become a team, but had no idea what was in store for them.

Each night Molly and her father continue to make up the story. However, the story was somehow leaking out of Molly's imagination and into her REAL daily life!

**** Here is the beginning of what promises to be a compelling series! For anyone as young as age nine to anyone over one hundred. (Come on, admit it, those of us over twenty-one still LOVE this stuff!) This author grabs onto the readers quickly and holds onto them as tight as Super Glue until the very end. Highly recommended reading! ****

Rairarubia is one of those rare books that is equally loved by boys and girls. Every one of my students could relate to Molly's amazing adventure, the colorful characters, the puzzling riddles, the magic. This book is a gem, delivering its story with humor and suspense. The ending demands a sequel- now!

This book kept my attention the whole time I was reading. I couldn't put it down. I love the way there is a story within a story. Romey, the main character in the story within the story, is brave, independent, and smart. She can do anything boys can do. I'm reading the second book, Return to Rairarubia, and it's maybe even better.

My son recently wrote the following:

The Time Warp Trio books contain amazing pictures by Lane Smith and humorous stories by Jon Scieszka (of The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales fame). Time Warp Trio books are entertaining and easy to read and were probably written to encourage kids who don't usually read much to read more.

In See You Later Gladiator, the three friends find themselves in Ancient Rome, face-to-face with a gladiator about to make short work of them. They pass themselves off as powerful magicians. Their only hope for survival is to find The Book and skedaddle before they encounter any more sword-wielding gladiators.

Enjoy this "quick" summer read!

This story is about three boys named Joe, Sam, and Fred. These three boys have a very strange book that, when they say special words, it will transport them to a different time. In order to get back home, they have to find the book which is hidden in Rome, and that is where they are too! When they arrive, they are in a Gladiator stadium! To find out more, read See You Later Gladiator.

This book is about three strange boys named Sam, Joe, and Fred who open "The Book". Then a green mist appears and the boys find themselves in Ancient Rome. While they're traveling the book gets lost. The boys have to find the book to get back home. I counted about 3 funny things in the story. This story made me Laugh Out Loud!

This is another of those gems of a little one-subject cookbook. Jhonson does great job with history, techniques and recipe collection for this sumptuous little bread.

From sweet type most of us have come to love with coffee, tea or just cold glass of milk, she adds savory items, i.e. a great recipe with Corn and Pumpkin Seeds or Carmelized Shallots.

There are many here that are simply wundebar, e.g. Meyer Lemon-Macademia or Drambuie-Raisin. If you're a shortbread fancier, this is neat collection to use and inspire one's own creations.

I love this book! The recipes are really easy and turn out fabulous! The layout is clear and original and the drawings are entertaining (there are no pictures). This is really a handy little book that any baker would like, because it is so easy to make variations on these recipes, be it ingredients or just shape and decoration. I tried some of the sweet and some of the savoury shortbreads and all were exellent, they actually disappeared from the counter! The Madras-Coconut Crackers are surprising and the Caramelized Shallot Shortbread is a real treat. My favourites are the Green Tea Shortbreads, because I love green tea and I like their not being too sweet, but really crunchy, because of the rice flour.
This book is definitely worth its price! Buy it, you'll love it!

I have been making shortbread for years, mostly for dessert. But the savory shortbread recipes are terrific and were made as gifts for Christmas and got raves.