The key concept of this book is that every organization could evolve trough several status. There is no a suggested preeferred status. Winning organisations are those which could find the right 'alignment' between market needs and behaviours and the internal organization. The evolution of the organization is only driven by the market change. The book focus on transitions between these different stages, analysing the impact of these changes through the entire Value Chain. Invented Here is a milestone for those people which needs to manage transition also in a turbulent environment. It helps managers to think about the actual company positioning and to build a framework helping to identify market changes and relevant organizational needed impact. Simply great!

The importance of organization design on the success of a business, be it that of a service company or a product supplier, is often underestimated. Strategy alone is not enough.

The great value of this book lies in 3 areas :

i) Use of illustrating failure as well as success - better to learn from someone else's mistakes so that you can, hopefully, avoid them.

ii) Identifying in meaningful terms where to position your organisation for your product/service e.g. if you need a great mass production machine, that is how you should organize; when your customers need more, don't hide from it - just do it well.

iii) The style is refreshingly alive. You feel you can relate to real people solving real problems. Too often, books like this feel like they belong only in libraries - this one offers genuinely practical insight. It's up to you to apply it.

If I have one (minor) criticism, it is the title. Don't let it mislead you. This book is a very helpful guide to many aspects of organizational design and a better title, in my opinion, would be something like:- "Optimizing Your Organization For Your Customers"

This book reveals how to use knowledge residing in the company to transform organization and manage growth. It presents a model of organizational learning and development with four steps: craft, mass production, process enhancement, and mass customization. It explores the leveraging of four associated types of knowledge and presents a learning system for developing organizational knowledge. Provides important insights the learning organization.

Wonderful news ... a new edition of this book will be released in paperback ..., available through Amazon.
Birkin completed the book when adapting the story of J M Barrie for a BBC mini-series, The Lost Boys. As well as writing Peter Pan, Barrie was in his time, regarded as a playwright the equal of George Bernard Shaw. That his work quickly fell out of favour may be due to its pathos and close relation to Barrie's own life.
I stumbled across this book over ten years ago, and its poignancy, honestly and power have been with me ever since.
It centres around the Llewelyn Davies family, which became the inspiration for Peter Pan, but went on to have an even more profound impact upon the life of the melancholic Scottish playwright.
As one of the protagonists later wrote, the masses of photographs (extensively reproduced in the book) seem to foretell the whole sad story. Indeed, Birkin's strength is allowing the story to unfold through letters, images and quotation from Barrie's surprisingly autobiographical work. What emerges is the finest of biographies. Peter Pan acquires a whole new sad significance in the light of this book, and it captures the fading Edwardian twighlight exquisitely.
Upon the death of the last of the Llewelyn Davies boys (after first publication), the majority of the material used in the book was bequeathed to Birkin, a ringing endorsement of his sensitive and perceptive retelling of the story.
I cannot recommend this book too highly.

I first read this book roughly ten years ago. It is still one of my all-time favorites. The beautiful and tragic lives of the Llewellyn-Davies family, and their beauty caught in intimate pictures, reminds one of the Romanovs. This book is a very loving, close portrait of the relationship between JM Barrie--the playwright of Peter Pan (and numerous other plays and books)and an Edwardian family composed of five charming, beautiful, intelligent boys. The boys' parents (one of whom is the daughter of George du Maurier [author of Trilby] -- the boys' cousin is Daphne du Maurier) both die young, leaving them orphans in the care of JM Barrie. The book contains astonishingly beautiful photographs, diary entries, letters, etc. The truth of the story gives it a charm and tragedy mere fiction lacks. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Barrie must be one of the 20th C's most under-rated and misinterpreted writers. This beautiful and haunting book helps interpret his writing, especially that maudlin classic of hopeless nostalgia Peter Pan. Look in this book beyond the fragile elegance of the Edwardian world, and the beautiful children frozen forever in time by Barrie's camera and there's tragedy. Everyone, Arthur, Michael, Jack and especially Barrie himself comes to a sticky end. It well illustrates that old morality tale: be very careful about what you wish for -it may come true. I agree it's a tragedy this book has slipped out of print.

They say pictures are worth 1000 words, but as far as I'm concerned the book doesn't need words! Some pictures I have NEVER seen before. I LOVE IT!

Bart Andrews and Tom Watson celebrate the career of America's First Lady Of Comedy in this loving tribute. Released in 1980 and still in print today...it's just that good.

This is an absolutely fantastic guide to I Love Lucy. The book details Lucille Ball's life and career pre-Lucy Ricardo but mostly concentrates on the evolution and production of the the show. There is a complete,in-depth episode guide, lots of pictures and interviews with many people involved with the show. Entertainly written, well-researched and indispensable for any Lucy Lan, this book is a gem. Highly recommended

This has been a very interesting book for me, a 15-year-old, "I Love Lucy" FANatic. I've seen almost every episode and I loved it all. The pictures are nice and the info is fantastic. Thanks Bart Andrews.

A MUST have for the Tolkien enthusiast. Totally concur with the first reviewer. Serious fans must get this book. Hard to find book since it is out of print.

A good book for the die-hard fan, lists on Gollum and everyone, like Elves, too. Definatelt worth the price, though, and a nice gem to the collection. (Yes! I'm the first reviewer!) Anyways, yes, it is a very good- yet old- book. But it's not dated or anything like that.

Well, what're ya waiting for? GO AND BUY IT!

When you find out that "All-Time Great World Series" talks about four famous games from the Fall Classic you might think that you will be reading about Babe Ruth's called shot, the famous home runs that won games hit by Bill Mazeroski and Carlton Fisk, or the perfect game pitched by Don Larsen. But Andrew Gutelle tells what happened in four other famous World Series games: when Walter Johnson and the Washington Senators won their only World Championship in 1924, Reggie Jackson's three homers in 1957 when the New York Yankees beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, the New York Mets coming back in the bottom of the tenth against the Boston Red Red Sox in 1986, and the 1-0 10-inning Game 7 in 1991 between the Minnesota Twins and the Atlanta Braves, who had both gone from worst to first. Gutelle argues this last one might have been the greatest World Series game ever and it is certainly hard to top the tension of a deciding game that is scoreless at the end of nine innings. This book does a nice job of combining historic photographs with nice illustrations by Bart Forbes. Gutelle covers all of the bases on the key details of each of these games, so parents and grandparents who remember these games vividly will not feel the urge to talk about things that have been left out. Certainly the first choice in this book is an interesting one, since the Senators do not even exist anymore and the other three games are all of more recent vintage. But one of the things you learn to love when you discover baseball is the history of the game and if this book introduces young fans to the Big Train, so much the better. This first-rate book serves as a wonderful introduction to just some of the dramatic games that have been played in the World Series. Now readers in Grades 2-3 will know the story of why they keep replaying the ball going through Bill Buckner's legs all the time.

I recently bought Bart Andrews revised, and updated version of Lucy, Ricky, Fred & Ethel. The "I Love Lucy" Book is the definitive tome on the history of THE Classic T.V. show of all time. Mr. Andrews inside information and wonderful stories and anecdotes from head writer Jess Oppenheimer, to Lou Jacobi, the janitor, make this book a must read for all "Lucy" fans. I wore out my original copy and had to buy a new one. Thanks Bart for updating. It's a winner. I Love It as much as I Love Lucy.

Robert Howe Scripts360@aol.com

This book covers each & every episode of I Love Lucy, ones we've all seen zillions of times but still laugh at whenever we tune in. How well I remember on sick days off from work, I'd just prop myself on the couch with a blanket & mug of tea & tune in about 9am for back to back episodes. Whether watching Lucy take Vitametavegamin, baking a huge loaf of bread, getting locked in the meat freezer or just plain trying to get into showbiz, there's plenty of laughs galore from the funniest woman on TV. This book takes you back to those times & there's plenty of tidbits about guest stars, writers & others who played a part in the show. Highly recommended for all fans of Lucy, Ricky, Fred & Ethel.

"The I Love Lucy Book" has no equal. If you want to make a fan drool with delight (or if you want to keep them quiet for hours at a time), buy them this book. Stuffed with more trivia than I ever thought possible, it is the perfect companion for the devoted Lucy fan. I've read and re-read it, till I know it inside out, yet it's still fun to read. This is one of the most excellent compendiums of television history you'll ever find.

Here is the exclusive behind-the-scenes story of the world's favorite TV show -- I LOVE LUCY: how it all came about 51 years ago, the turbulent decade when it was being produced, and its effect on countless millions. Here are all the facts, fun and folklore direct from the people who made it happen, from Lucy herself to the writers, directors and musicians.

If you ever giggled over Lucy's irresistible antics, the whole story is here for you to enjoy -- complete with plot summaries of every I LOVE LUCY episode, an I LOVE LUCY Quiz and over 100 photos.

This book gives a nice overview of the first five seasons of "Cheers." Included are three chapters on the making of the show: the beginning (choosing the location, casting, etc.), the Sam/Diane romance, and a day-by-day description of how an episode is produced. The cast and character bios (Sam, Diane, Carla, Coach, Cliff, Norm, Woody and Frasier) are fun, and lots of pictures and quotes are sprinkled throughout. There's also a short episode guide, a trivia quiz, a list of recurring characters, and a list of awards the series has been nominated for.

It's not an especially deep look into the series (and it stops at the fifth season!), but there's enough interesting information here to make it worth a look for fans who don't have every episode memorized.

This book is a fascinating look at the making of Cheers. The show where everybody knows your name is based on a tavern that executive producer Glen Charles and his wife MaryAnn visited while on vacation in Boston. The Cheers bar is actually patterned after a bar called the Bull And Finch pub. Pictures of the bar were taken and sent back to California to the Paramount studios lot, and thus Cheers was born. The actors were not well known before the show started. Ted Danson had done some off-broadway and improvisational work, as well as a soap opera, and having a small role as the dancing D.A. in the film noir "Body Heat." He had also made guest appearances on Laverne and Shirley, and Taxi(as a flamboyant hairdresser.) He was up for the challenge and He read for the role of Sam Malone ex red sox relief pitcher, and recovering alcoholic who just happens to buy Cheers! Shelley Long was cast as the intellectual bar maid Diane Chambers who had an on again, off again romance with Sam. Rhea Perlman was cast as the snooty obnoxious waitress Carla Tortelli who disapproves of Sam and Diane's romance. Nick Colasanto played Coach Ernie Pantusso who doesn't seem to have a clue, but has a kindhearted disposition nonetheless. He later passed away and was replaced by Woody Harrelson(Wildcats). George Wendt and John Ratzenburger played Norm and Cliff the regular barflys. Kelsey Grammer is also introduced as Dr. Frasier Crane, Diane's new lover after she and Sam break up. The book takes you behind the scenes to show how each episode is done and the complex task of putting on a weekly sitcom. It also contains dialogue from the show, and an episode guide spanning the first four seasons the show was on the air, and how it was almost cancelled during the first season. And it contains a trivia page and a list of guest stars who appeared on the shows. Bart Andrews really outdid himself with this book, and if you can find it, I strongly urge you to buy it. Fans of Cheers will definitely be interested!!!

I got this Book when it first came out&while it drops a few interesting things overall nothing to get excited about.you never get the full deal on Her as a Artist for example.interesting but not that much depth to me overall.

The two words that come to mind in describing this book are not shocking. The name of the book should have been "All About Janet's Family especially LaToya and Joseph with a lot about Michael and Jermaine thrown into the mix." The one redeeming value of the book is that it made me like Janet even more. She comes across in the book as tough, streetwise, feisty, having business savvy, ambitious, opinionated and assertive. Basically Janet just reacts to the stuff happening within her family. Lots of quotes from other people and previously published Janet quotes. Except for 1 or 2 juicy tidbits, nothing new. For example, we learn nothing about her relationship with now ex husband Rene Elizondo or other boyfriends. Overall it was average.

This is a good book about Janet. It tells her complete story, but tends to be a little gossipy at times. I loved this book! I read it in one day because I couldn't put it down. A good read for a true Janet fan. I'd highly reccomend it.