Frank Welsch provides his audience with a clear and comprehensive interperation of the events that have shaped this great city of the world. I would, however, make a few suggestions and warnings before one purchases this book. First, one of the great aspects of this work is its relentless display of primary sources and attention to detail. It might not be the best read for one who is trying to obtain a concise and short history of hong kong. The primary sources are fascinating and makes one feel as if they are watching over the shoulders of colonial officiers and engrossing themselves in the soap opera of creating and maintaining a colony. The second warning would be to expect a majority of the work to focus on the pre-twentieth century development of the colony. Although the author does provide enough of post twentieth century to ensure a satisfied understanding of the events, one who is focusing on modern hong kong, like myself, might want to consider another read. And finally, Mr. Welsch does touch base with social and cultural history, but his main focus is on the polties of hong kong. Do not expect a great emergence into this subject.

Although a little 'dry' at times, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Frank Welsh's analysis of the development of this incredible city, its history and culture is fantastic. What caught my attention was in the Introduction when he remarked that Hong Kong was never a British colony but a Chinese colony administered by the British. From there on, he had my attention.

There used to be a saying that "the sun never sets on the British Empire" because of the incredible number of colonies the Great Britain governed. The internationally-focused handover of Hong Kong to Chinese sovereignty in 1997 historically marked the end of both British ruling over the Chinese financial capital and the legend of the once mighty empire.

A British and former international banker, Frank Welsh touched based with both Chinese communist ruler and British officials in the determination of Hong Kong's post-colonial scope. A full account with lucid details on the coming of joint-declaration cosigned by the Bristish and Chinese government in 1984 was included in this one-volume history of the Pearl of the Orient, also dubbed the Heart of Asia.

Upon the end of Opium War and the seizure of Hong Kong by UK more than 150 years ago, the British authority has miraculously turned a fishing village to a world-known financial and business capital. "A Borrowed Place: The History of Hong Kong" is a written account that witnesses the political, social, and economical history of the colony exploited by the Great Britain. The timely release of this volume in July 1996 sets the tone of the fearfully waited handover in exactly one year, on July 1, 1997. The book concludes with speculation on post-handover life and socioeconomic aspects of the city. One of the major concerns of natives, democrats, politicians, and even the Taiwaneses, is whether the highly-proclaimed "One Country, Two Systems" approach will function efficiently for, at least, 50 years, as firmly promised by the Chinese Communist power in Beijing.

This book is about changes. It is a recollection of events that help transforming a fishing town to the busiest port. It is, however, also a witness to whether the promise made by Chinese government will be fulfilled.

Christmas, Easter, Sunday and Halloween were around when Jesus walked this planet. Did He or His apostles celebrate ANY of them? NO! Why are you? Because for centuries, your uneducated ancestors were misled by the Catholic Church and it's daughters. Now you too can read. You have no excuse.

Research further. Don't buy this book if you want to know the REAL truth. Christmas is NOT about Jesus in any way shape or form. No matter how hard you try. It is about the pagan worshiping of Nimrod, Noah's grandson. When Nimrod was alive, he was a great hunter and great warrior. When he died, people thought if he was so great in life, he must be equally as great in death and worshiped him on his birthday, the winter solstace. They felt if they appeased him, he would help make the winter go away faster and bring the spring in sooner for good hunting and farming. To appease him, they burned yule logs and decorated trees.

Emperor Constantine wanted to keep his favorite pagan holidays when he adopted Christianity, so he turned the Judaic worshiping of the Jewish Messiah into a perverted religion full of pagan practice such as Christmas, Easter (worshiping Ishtar the goddess of nature and fertility, hence the eggs, grass, baby animals), Sun Day (worshiping the Sun God which had to be done on the first day of the week), Halloween (a Druid festival for the dead), etc. So he threw in some stuff about Jesus to make the Christians happy and packaged it around Jewish holidays (Easter around Passover, Christmas around Chanukah) and very, very few questioned it. Those who did were silenced forever.

Have you ever wondered why there are no Christmas trees in the bible? Why the apostles never did the holidays that the church as we know it is doing. It's because they were Jewish, not pagan.

No matter what you feel about this review, remember one thing:
In all of these things, you are breaking the first commandment, and He is indeed jealous!

My recommendation: Follow the biblical feasts and holidays just like God commanded. You will find it much more fulfilling and will make Him happier.

Now you know the REAL truth in a nutshell.

Blessings in Yeshua! (Jesus's real name. He is afterall Jewish, not Greek.)

This Gold Medallion Book Award title (for excellence in Evangelical Christian literature) is easy to overlook, since it appears to be yet another illustrated account of the birth of Jesus. Instead, what we have here is a recognized historian writing a kid-friendly book explaining some of the historical context of the Nativity story by having a mother answer her inquisitive child's many questions.

As Christopher's mom reads from gospel of St. Luke, chapter 2, she responds to her eight-year old son's questions about Caesar Augustus, registering for the census, why Joseph was not the father of Jesus Christ, why God chose Mary to be Jesus' mother, how old she might have been, where she lived, the lineage of King David, why Christmas is celebrated on December 25, what the stable was like, why there wasn't any room at the inn, why the shepherds were terrified at the sight of the angel, and how St. Luke knew "all this stuff."

This book is highly recommended to Christians of all traditions, as well as to non-Christian families who may be curious about what's really behind the Christmas story. As the author states in his brief introduction, many "children's Christmas books are often long on fancy and short on fact." I would agree when he says, "these pages...return the Christmas focus to where it belongs." The gospel story is no fairy tale, and here Paul L. Maier places it within the context of history, so children like Chris in this story can learn "about real people and real things that really happened."

Young Christopher is tired of fairytales, and wants his mother to begin reading real stories to him. With Christmas approaching, his mother comes to him with the Bible, to read him the story of the very first Christmas, as found in the Book of Luke. Together, they read the passage, and discuss many things.

This is a great book. The text of the story was simple enough for my 7-year-old son to understand, and I believe that his reading the story will have more impact than my reading it to him. The illustrations by Francisco Ordaz are absolute masterpieces, and add greatly to the impact of the story. I recommend this book 100%!

I thank God every day that I didn't grow up with the Oz books. Reading these stories made me cringe. They never play by any of the rules. For a series that does, try C. S. Lewis's Narnia, or, better yet, J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter. Baum had intended to write no more of Oz than the first book and I believe it should have stayed that way. Practically all of the sequels that I both like and accept are on the "Historically Rejected List." I prefer the M.G.M. movie to the original story, except that I wish a ten year old Shirley Temple had played Dorothy instead of a clearly too old Judy Garland with her tobacco chewing voice.Spoilers aheadWhen I read that the Tin Woodman had used to be a regular flesh human being named Nick Chopper who had been turned into tin after a series of accidents with his axe by the Wicked Witch of the East for wanting to marry a slave girl I was aghast.I had grown up thinking that he had always been made of tin. I decided that the tinsmith had remembered to give him a heart but he didn't know it because he needed to learn how to use it, and the adventures had taught him how. It makes a whole lot more sense and it is a much, much better story. (The whole thing just sounds so gruesome.)After the first five Dorothy moves to Oz permanently, and with Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, too. And gets a gig as a princess. I just won't have that. The Dorothy Gale I know stayed in Kansas and grew up. Worse yet, they were followed by even more grown-ups and kids. (Two of which still had living parents back home!)My point is that we cannot have kids thinking that home cannot be found in America, that home is some stupid transcendent Utopian paradise called Oz. (We may as well be telling them that home is the lost empire of Atlantis!)Around this same time, no one could die in Oz nor would anyone grow old. Babies would remain babies forever; people who were old when the great fairy queen Lurline cast her spell on Oz would grow no older. I definitely won't have that. "Tuck Everlasting" by Natalie Babbitt teaches us that living forever at a certain age is not such a blessing as it may seem.I really, really hate the Oz books but it's hypocritical to say I wish I never discovered them when they were the only way I could have been properly introduced to Mr. Wogglebug. (He is the wisest creature I have ever seen and he is also my best friend; if you don't like that it's your problem.)

Lyman Frank Baum (1856-1919) is best known today as the author of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," a children's story written in 1900. But following the success of that book, Baum wrote thirteen other Oz stories before his death from a stroke in 1919. Moreover, Baum wrote dozens of other children's tales, plays, and general stories. He was extraordinarily prolific, churning out five books in the year 1907 alone. In addition to this immense body of work, Baum worked as a journalist, a printer, a chicken breeder, an actor, a theater manager, an oil salesman, a playwright, and many other equally esoteric occupations. Despite this litany of accomplishments, it is that one little story about a Kansas girl and her dog that people remember, and even that is due to the 1939 film adaptation with Judy Garland as Dorothy. This Penguin Classics volume compiles three of Baum's Oz stories, "The Wizard of Oz," "The Emerald City of Oz," and "Glinda of Oz." With a dandy introduction by Jack Zipes, a bibliography of pertinent literature about Baum, and explanatory endnotes, this is an excellent introduction to a marvelous trio of stories written by an enormously talented individual.

The introduction outlines the highpoints of Baum's life as well as academic analyses on his Oz stories. According to Zipes, these stories reflect personal aspects of the author's life as well as social aspects of American society. Zipes's own analysis is that Oz represents a matriarchal utopia based on socialist principles. In Oz, women rule as witches and princesses while magic and good deeds serve the denizens without relying on capitalistic tendencies of competition and money. The introduction also refers to academics that saw "The Wizard of Oz" as a thinly veiled allegory concerning the Populist movement of the late 19th century, which was the reason I decided to read the stories. Regardless of academic analysis or cultural insights, these stories turned out to be a fascinating and entertaining read, full of puns, irony, and wacky creatures. I had fun reading these stories.

The first story in the collection, "The Wizard of Oz," should be instantly recognizable to most people. It differs considerably from the film version, however. Dorothy and Toto do meet the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion just as they do in the movie, but there are more adventures in the book version. There are differences too: in the story, the winged monkeys only obey the wicked witch because she can summon them with a magic cap. The witch also holds Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion in bondage for a period of time. I understand why the movie made several changes in the tale, but reading the story is as much if not more fun than seeing the film.

"The Emerald City of Oz," published in 1910, recounts several more adventures of Dorothy in the Land of Oz. Baum used this story to expand this mysterious realm by having Dorothy bring Uncle Henry and Aunt Em to live in Oz permanently after the bank forecloses on the Kansas farm. Young Dorothy then acts as a tour guide for her family, setting out on an exploration of unknown regions of Oz. The author throws in some great puns in this installment, little jokes that surprisingly made me laugh out loud. For example, Dorothy's adventure in Utensia (where she stands trial in a dwelling full of animated cutlery, pots and pans, and utensils), her trip to Bunbury (a town inhabited by living pastries, buns, breads, and rolls), and her meeting with the Fuddles (people who literally fall to pieces when surprised by outsiders; Dorothy and her companions have to put them back together like a puzzle) are amusing to read. The best scene in the story has to be the Flutterbudgets, a town full of people who worry incessantly about nonexistent dangers. All of these explorations take place against the backdrop of an invasion of Oz by the evil Nome King and his evil allies the Growleywogs, the Whimsies, and the Phanfasms. This Oz story is quite amusing and tremendously clever.

"Glinda of Oz," released to the public in 1920 a year after Baum's death reunites nearly every character from the other Oz stories. Dorothy, now a princess of Oz, sets out with her friend and monarch Ozma to stop a war between the Flatheads and the Skeezers. When Dorothy and Ozma get trapped in the fighting, Glinda the Sorceress leads a ragtag group of characters to rescue the two. Along for the trip are the Wizard of Oz, who returned to Oz after the first book and is learning magic, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the funniest character, Button Bright, a boy whose sole attribute is his ability to constantly get lost. Glinda and company step into the situation and bring it to a resolution. Arguably the most interesting theme in "Glinda of Oz" is the limitations Baum places on the uses of magic in Oz. There are different types of magic and no one character (The Wizard, Glinda, Ozma) has a grasp on infinite stores of magic. Moreover, magic can only be used to assist people, not to harm them. Ozma and Glinda punish anyone who uses magic as a weapon.

These are great stories whether you pay attention to the social and cultural subtexts or not. Fans of the MGM extravaganza will find much here to expand on their knowledge of Dorothy, Tin Man, Scarecrow, Lion, and Glinda. Moreover, the addition of scads of other characters adds a richness and depth to the fantasy world of Oz beyond the scope of the film. I enjoyed these three stories so much I am considering reading a few of the other Oz stories, and hopefully you will too.

These stories are sheer genuis and a blessed light in our sometimes dark world. I read them to my children, ages 4 and 6, and we all are transported to a place over the rainbow, where things somehow turn out wonderfully happy. In the Emerald City and Glinda, we enjoyed hearing more adventures of Dorothy's friends. Ozma is indeed a great heroine for her people and for my two bright-eyed children. I could just picture where each land was that Dorothy visited with her aunt and uncle in the Emerald City book. And the eccentric rules each place had were enchanting.

If you are totally new to writing and have never read more than 10 articles on the craft of writing before...then this is for you.

For someone more read on the subject I only found 7 of the 42 articles worthy to keep as references/checklists to use as I'm actually doing my writing.

Try and get this book at the library or a used bookstore or ebay. Don't pay full price. Everyone will get something different from it, maybe you will get more out of it than I did.

1) Very similar to my comments on Volume 1 = totally for novices and those brand spanking new to reading articles on the craft of writing

2) I found 8 of the 33 articles to be VERY well done and useful as future references/checklists as I do my writing

3) Overall I liked the quality of the articles in Vol II more so than Vol I

4) A lot of the information in these articles/advice will cirulcate back through your subscription to Writer's Digest Magazine. Meaning you can get a subscription or get this book at the library, ebay, or used book store.

I was seventeen.
I found the book on my grandmother's shelf. And I couldn't put it down.
In retrospect, it was probably no better than other books on writing, but it dealt with things I was interested in -- are writers born or made, transitions, revisions, the importance of reading (actually, everybody's got their own opinion on that), characterization and viewpoint. Now, it's not that I hadn't already heard or known some of this stuff, but it was just what I needed. Authors opinions and struggles, sympathy and even occasional rants. The thing was, although I was less experienced, I knew a lot of the same things in my bones, and it was good to have them confirmed.
Another thing was that sometimes the authors disagreed! This is good to know, because when you read a book by one author, if he says something that just doesn't work for you, you think there's something wrong with you. But when you see equally sucessful authors disagreeing over things (outlines, no outlines), it can be rather freeing. Keep in mind that it was written in the 80s so it isn't going to be market help to you. But the advice is still pretty fresh, for the most part.
In short, I recommend this as a good read, interesting, informative, and fun (if you're seventeen, and you find it at your grandmother's, and you can't put it down...)
She gave me that book, before I left. I still have it.
Trust me, it's worth a lot more than 48 cents.

Volume 3 of "The Authority" reprint collections arrives with the super-hero team fighting Earth itself. This collection features one extended storyline from "The Authority" comic series and three short stories from other sources.

The main storyline in the book is the "Earth Inferno" storyline from issues 17 to 20 of the ongoing series. Issues 17 and 18 were by writer Mark Millar and artist Chris Weston and issues 19 and 20 were by Millar and artist Frank Quitely. The story begins with the team's investigation of strange and devestating natural disasters worldwide. It turns out the Earth itself is wreaking havoc on its human population and the team must align themselves with a notorious super villian to stop the destruction. This story doesn't have the same type of frenzied outrageousness of the prior storylines and the writing is muddled at times. Still the appeal of the individual characters along with an intriguing evacuation plan for the Earth's population help turn the tale into one worth checking out. Quitely's work in particular is something to be admired.

The other three stories are weak in comparison. "Devil's Night" from the 2000 Annual by writer Joe Casey and Artist Cully Hamner is a mess. It's just page after page of explosions and people punching each other with nothing of substance to bind everything together. "Isolation" by writer Paul Jenkins and artist Georges Jeanty and "Orbital" by writer Warren Ellis and artist Cully Hamner from the 2001 Wildstorm Summer Special fare better as character studies of the Engineer and Jack Hawksmoor respectively. "Isolation" is noteworthy in a wickedly fun way due to its exploration of a side of super heroines that you don't see much in mainstream comics. Yet, both stories feel like filler material. All in all, volume 3 is a mixed bag. Not as good as the prior two volumes but still an ok way to pass to time due to the strength of the "Earth Inferno" storyline.

These guys are so violent and fun at the same time that villians have to be the worst [ones] we ever saw. The destruction of New York under a big tidal wave is like a prophetic vision; but in the real world, we didn't have the Authority. Somehow, the dialogue is ironic and full of comments against the government and the people that supports its policies. Liberal bastards, I would call them.

Nice moments of enjoyable reading. But don't be shocked for what you see. Reality is way worse.

What can I say about this book? I think that it's great to see super-heroes buck the "status-quo" and that The Authority are like no other super-heroes out there. Also, I like how The Authority solved problems with methods that no other super-hero would even consider and that they would take risks that no one else would.

I think that the story and art are excellent, the fight scenes are among the best in comic-book history and that the characters are great(especially Apollo and The Midnighter).

I definitely recommend this book for anyone who is a fan of comic books.

and dull. And from where comes their expertise? I recall seeing that the authors of this book were summarily tossed from one of their probably innumerable corporate board posts. Boom, indeed.

When it comes to business and management books, there is a typology that categorizes much of the writing in this genre into two: by thinkers who can't do and by doers who can't think! This underlines the fact that academic analysis, by itself and without practical relevance, achieves very little. Similarly, so-called practical recipes for success with a narrow focus and little real understanding of the underlying principles also leave much to be desired.

Therefore, when a book that makes an important contribution to the understanding of an increasingly competitive global economy such as BOOM makes the scene, it is to be welcomed as a breath of fresh air. Written by two authors with strong credentials who are themselves in the midst of building a multinational enterprise, this book speaks with a certain air of authority and credibility. Frank Vogl was born in London and educated at Leeds. A former Reuters reporter and European business correspondent of The Times, he moved to the USA to become US economics correspondent for The Times and then director of information and public affairs at the World Bank. He is now a director of Sutton Resources Ltd of Canada, of which James Sinclair is a fellow director and chairman. Sinclair is an authority on investment and financial markets and was formerly head of a leading Wall Street precious metals trading firm. His previous books include The Strategic Metals War and How to Make Money in Gold Currencies.

In Part One, BOOM and the New Industrial Revolution, authors Vogl and Sinclair forecast dramatic changes in the global economy, with an unprecedented era of growth providing extraordinary opportunities for business: hence the 'boom' scenario. The authors see this new era of economic growth unfolding in most of the countries of the world gathering momentum as we enter the 21st century. As a natural consequence of the new industrial revolution taking place in emerging economies, hundreds of millions of people, if not billions, will benefit and rise from poverty to form the new middle classes of Asia, particularly in China and India, and concurrently in Latin America, Africa and Eastern Europe. Supplying the customer demands in this emerging market and building the infrastructure for these economies, say Vogl and Sinclair, represent outstanding business opportunities not to be missed. The boom is stimulated by the steady growth and low-inflation policies now being seen in leading industrialised countries as well as by economic policies in dozens of emerging market economies that encourage investment, savings, and price stability. These economic policies are supported by social policies that are raising educational and health levels in many parts of the developing world. The authors argue that these economic and social policies will be strengthened as markets for all manner of goods and services in developing countries are being linked by technology, telecommunications, and multinational investors. Thus, the 'boom' scenario sets the vision for creating wealth in the 21st century and provides the analytical propositions of the book: Very profitable business opportunities will arise, but managing in this new era will be complicated.

Using their vast experience of doing business in both Western and Third World markets, Vogl and Sinclair then tackle in Part Two, Risks, Values and Opportunities, some of the risks associated with the 'boom' scenario by looking at increasing military spending and the populist challenges to fragile democracies in the emerging economies. The road to wealth is not without obstacles and the authors warn that corruption is the single greatest threat to this scenario. Vogl and Sinclair describe this corruption threat in detail and the global actions being taken to curb this disease.

They also argue that the investors and businesses that fare best will be those that make the greatest effort to understand the global, political, and economic trends now emerging and those that strategize accordingly. Smart investors are already positioning themselves to take full advantage of the boom, as are many multinational corporations. They know that the maximization of profit will increasingly depend on going global and they recognize that the fastest rates of economic growth in coming years will not be in the United States, Germany, UK and Japan but in Third World countries.

In Part Three, Doing Business in the 21st Century, Vogl and Sinclair provide their insights into this 'boom' scenario by outlining the strategies and tactics to make full use of it. They describe the critical management considerations for winning in the new era of intensified global business competition where business conditions in almost all markets will be more competitive than ever before. From setting goals, gathering business intelligence, and building contacts to positioning in new markets, BOOM provides corporations with a blueprint for success in this new era. Business leaders should also realise, however, that the political environment of much of the Third World is changing, democracy is spreading and demands for the public accountability of public servants are rising. Thus, multinational corporations will need to change their ways, too, and in this context, partnership is the absolute key. Tomorrow's global corporations must work towards open, honest partnerships with their host country stakeholders: governments, joint venture associates, strategic alliance partners, customers, suppliers and employees. The 'boom' scenario also poses many crucial questions for European and American managers and companies: Will the start of the new century see a fundamental shift in global economic and political power towards Asia? What will be the consequences of this? Can, for example, UK industry compete in the increasingly global market? Is it inevitable that British industry will reduce employment at home as it builds new bases in lower cost, more productive Asian and African locations? Will the boom's creation of a large Third World middle class to mean a vast consumer market also mean a major political challenge to the status quo? Will this emergent Third World middle class provide the impetus for a New World Order? These are the pertinent questions posed by this important new book. Practising what they preach, Vogl and Sinclair bring together the diverse strands of their analysis, highlighting their vision in BOOM by describing the approaches they have taken to build Sutton Resources Ltd, a successful international minerals exploration company listed on NASDAQ. The authors outline their own experiences and demonstrate that they practise what they have described throughout the book. "Sutton does not pay bribes, it earns goodwill, it engages in partnerships and it is winning," they state.

Reviewed by Azlan Adnan. Formerly Business Development Manager with KPMG, Azlan is currently Managing Partner of Azlan & Koh Knowledge and Professional Management, an education and management consulting practice based in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysian Borneo. He holds a Master's degree in International Business and Management from the Westminster Business School in London. He may be contacted at E-mail: azlan@azlan.org

When it comes to business and management books, there is a typology that categorizes much of the writing in this genre into two: by thinkers who can't do and by doers who can't think! This underlines the fact that academic analysis, by itself and without practical relevance, achieves very little. Similarly, so-called practical recipes for success with a narrow focus and little real understanding of the underlying principles also leave much to be desired.

Therefore, when a book that makes an important contribution to the understanding of an increasingly competitive global economy such as BOOM makes the scene, it is to be welcomed as a breath of fresh air. Written by two authors with strong credentials who are themselves in the midst of building a multinational enterprise, this book speaks with a certain air of authority and credibility. Frank Vogl was born in London and educated at Leeds. A former Reuters reporter and European business correspondent of The Times, he moved to the USA to become US economics correspondent for The Times and then director of information and public affairs at the World Bank. He is now a director of Sutton Resources Ltd of Canada, of which James Sinclair is a fellow director and chairman. Sinclair is an authority on investment and financial markets and was formerly head of a leading Wall Street precious metals trading firm. His previous books include The Strategic Metals War and How to Make Money in Gold Currencies.

In Part One, BOOM and the New Industrial Revolution, authors Vogl and Sinclair forecast dramatic changes in the global economy, with an unprecedented era of growth providing extraordinary opportunities for business: hence the 'boom' scenario. The authors see this new era of economic growth unfolding in most of the countries of the world gathering momentum as we enter the 21st century. As a natural consequence of the new industrial revolution taking place in emerging economies, hundreds of millions of people, if not billions, will benefit and rise from poverty to form the new middle classes of Asia, particularly in China and India, and concurrently in Latin America, Africa and Eastern Europe. Supplying the customer demands in this emerging market and building the infrastructure for these economies, say Vogl and Sinclair, represent outstanding business opportunities not to be missed. The boom is stimulated by the steady growth and low-inflation policies now being seen in leading industrialised countries as well as by economic policies in dozens of emerging market economies that encourage investment, savings, and price stability. These economic policies are supported by social policies that are raising educational and health levels in many parts of the developing world. The authors argue that these economic and social policies will be strengthened as markets for all manner of goods and services in developing countries are being linked by technology, telecommunications, and multinational investors. Thus, the 'boom' scenario sets the vision for creating wealth in the 21st century and provides the analytical propositions of the book: Very profitable business opportunities will arise, but managing in this new era will be complicated.

Using their vast experience of doing business in both Western and Third World markets, Vogl and Sinclair then tackle in Part Two, Risks, Values and Opportunities, some of the risks associated with the 'boom' scenario by looking at increasing military spending and the populist challenges to fragile democracies in the emerging economies. The road to wealth is not without obstacles and the authors warn that corruption is the single greatest threat to this scenario. Vogl and Sinclair describe this corruption threat in detail and the global actions being taken to curb this disease.

They also argue that the investors and businesses that fare best will be those that make the greatest effort to understand the global, political, and economic trends now emerging and those that strategize accordingly. Smart investors are already positioning themselves to take full advantage of the boom, as are many multinational corporations. They know that the maximization of profit will increasingly depend on going global and they recognize that the fastest rates of economic growth in coming years will not be in the United States, Germany, UK and Japan but in Third World countries.

In Part Three, Doing Business in the 21st Century, Vogl and Sinclair provide their insights into this 'boom' scenario by outlining the strategies and tactics to make full use of it. They describe the critical management considerations for winning in the new era of intensified global business competition where business conditions in almost all markets will be more competitive than ever before. From setting goals, gathering business intelligence, and building contacts to positioning in new markets, BOOM provides corporations with a blueprint for success in this new era. Business leaders should also realise, however, that the political environment of much of the Third World is changing, democracy is spreading and demands for the public accountability of public servants are rising. Thus, multinational corporations will need to change their ways, too, and in this context, partnership is the absolute key. Tomorrow's global corporations must work towards open, honest partnerships with their host country stakeholders: governments, joint venture associates, strategic alliance partners, customers, suppliers and employees.

The 'boom' scenario also poses many crucial questions for European and American managers and companies: Will the start of the new century see a fundamental shift in global economic and political power towards Asia? What will be the consequences of this? Can, for example, UK industry compete in the increasingly global market? Is it inevitable that British industry will reduce employment at home as it builds new bases in lower cost, more productive Asian and African locations? Will the boom's creation of a large Third World middle class to mean a vast consumer market also mean a major political challenge to the status quo? Will this emergent Third World middle class provide the impetus for a New World Order?

These are the pertinent questions posed by this important new book. Practising what they preach, Vogl and Sinclair bring together the diverse strands of their analysis, highlighting their vision in BOOM by describing the approaches they have taken to build Sutton Resources Ltd, a successful international minerals exploration company listed on NASDAQ. The authors outline their own experiences and demonstrate that they practise what they have described throughout the book. "Sutton does not pay bribes, it earns goodwill, it engages in partnerships and it is winning," they state.

The reviewer below misses the point. This book was the first anthology of Asian American writers to come out of the period of the founding of Ethnic Studies. It focuses soley on works by Japanese, Chinese and Pilipino Americans and features the usual suspects, Frank Chin, Carlos Bulosan, etc. It does not inlcude works by Vietnamese or Thai Americans because there was next to no immigration or even refugees from those countries immigrating pre 1965. Get your facts straight and review the text in its historical context and you will find that this text is a valuable source to capture the many dilemmas that Asian American's faced in forging an identity of their own.

You guys should make an effort to buy this book (if it's still around). In it, the editors expose "Asian American" authors who thought it best to represent Asian Americans by making them love "white America" in spite of their own Asian culture! For instance, Pardee Lowe has an aversion toward the tong his father is in; and in order to keep him from these "heathen chinese" he helps convert his father into Christianity (this nation's prevalent religion). You will also learn how subtle racist figures like Charlie Chan represent what whites perceive as Asianness. Bear in mind, the editors are not segregating the term Asian to mean just Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino. Rather, they are merely using Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino literature to convey (this is a part of their argument) that these different subgroups (and then some) within Asia America were not (and are not) assimilated (they did not hate their own culture to show their patriotism toward America). They open their book with "Asian Americans are not one people but several - Chinese Americans, Japanese Americans, and Filipino Americans." They are not saying "Asian Americans are not one people but only three..." And, yes, I've met Asian Americans who are just as biased as white people, but this isn't the case that the editors are making (nor are they this way). Really, all they are doing is challenging the subtle racist stereotypical view whites have of Asians (which is a prevalent view). Some of you may not know what a stereotype of an Asian person is! Why not find out how REAL Asians are by reading this masterpiece.

You guys should make an effort to buy this book (if it's still around). In it, the editors expose "Asian American" authors who thought it best to represent Asian Americans by making them love "white America" in spite of their own Asian culture! For instance, Pardee Lowe has an aversion toward the tong his father is in; and in order to keep him from these "heathen Chinese" he helps convert his father into Christianity (this nation's prevalent religion). You will also learn how subtle racist figures like Charlie Chan represent what whites perceive as Asianness. Bear in mind, the editors are not segregating the term Asian to mean just Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino. Rather, they are merely using Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino literature to convey (this is a part of their argument) that these different subgroups (and then some) within Asia America were not (and are not) assimilated (they did not hate their own culture to show their patriotism toward America). They open their book with "Asian Americans are not one people but several - Chinese Americans, Japanese Americans, and Filipino Americans." They are not saying "Asian Americans are not one people but only three..." And, yes, I've met Asian Americans who are just as biased as white people, but this isn't the case that the editors are making (nor are they this way). Really, all they are doing is challenging the subtle racist stereotypical view whites have of Asians (which is a prevalent view). Some of you may not know what a stereotype of an Asian person is! Why not find out how REAL Asians are by reading this masterpiece.

Just have to tell you that - I read this first, found it okay. It IS a great and easy read - full of interest, don't get me wrong - but it's just not 'the best.' - for that check out Melissa's biography. It just REALLY puts you there and is amazing with detail!

In this book the author seems to have magical insight into Anne's hidden thoughts and desires. She also interprets one of Anne's passages to mean that Anne was describing her first orgasm during a petting session with Peter. I read all editions available as well as the newly released "missing pages" and I did not draw this same conclusion. She also believes that Peter did not love Anne. How would she know? I did find interesting little known information about the other members in hiding and do trust facts provided by eyewitnesses (Miep Gies for example)But overall I would recommend Melissa Muller's biography over this book. The biography provides a great deal more detailed facts about Anne's life and does offer a new theory as to who betrayed the Franks. Pressler's book is more like a psychoanalysis of Anne Frank's mind than a detailed account of her life.

If you are looking for a book that is straight biography, then this is not the book for you. There is biographical material, of course, but there are better biographies of Anne out there. This is already a very slight book and Pressler has more on her mind than biography. She is also interested in analyzing Anne's life and, in particular, her relationships with the people she knew.

Pressler is an "expert on the life of Anne Frank" so many of her observations clearly come from a solid basis in research. Much of it seems to be coming from the Critical Edition of Anne's Diary and from Miep Gies' book, Anne Frank Remembered. (These are two excellent books I would read before reading this.) Still, for someone who has already formed an idea about Anne some of Pressler's opinions can be disconcerting, particularly when it comes to her analysis of Anne's sexuality.

This does not mean Pressler's opinions are not worthwhile. For someone truly interested in imagining a full picture of a real person, there is a lot of food for thought in this book whether you end up agreeing with Pressler or not. However, this book goes beyond the simple hero-worship in which Anne's memory usually finds itself.

In my fairly wide reading on the subject of Anne's life, this book is unique in its attempt to understand Anne as a real person beyond the character she creates for herself in the Diary. Since this is an impossible task, all attempts are somehow tinged with futility, especially for someone who never knew Anne in life (unlike Gies and van Maarsen, for example). This casts a pall over this book which Pressler, unlike some highly talented biographers, does not quite have the ability to overcome. However, this book could be very important in opening up the field for a future analysis that may be better.

This book reads like the old testament - name after name after name of people I don't care about with few interesting notes or pictures between. Avoid this book.

Blind date is a TV show that has probably launched a thousand books. This is just the one that has the official seal of approval. Although quirky, all over the map, and extremely anecdotal, this guide manages to accomplish the very same thing that the show does. It's like a literary report done on the Jerry Springer show. It leaves you gawking in disbelief while you're subconsciously thanking God that your own dating experiences are nowhere near as crazy as these folks! A very guilty pleasure.

I watch this Show Every Night I get a chance&the Humor&the People crack me up.but this Book is just as funny.you won't stop laughing it's a riot.Great for Partys&Get togethers.alot of fun to be had.

The novel, while well written, is a bit dry and observational. However, the ideas it presents, notably what discourse an oppressed people has, have parallels with situations in the West Bank and Sept 11.

I bought this Feral House paperback reprint of The Bomb because it was the only one readily available. I'm now tempted to track down an older edition from one of the many used book sellers on the Internet, because Feral House's edition is very poor. The text is riddled with typographical errors to the extent that it is occasionally hard to be sure exactly what a sentence is supposed to mean. (Feral House likes to call themselves "the publisher that refuses to be tamed"; I prefer to think of them as "the publisher that refuses to hire a proofreader".) The new afterword by a modern anarchist "thinker" is, to be charitable, witless, doctrinaire nonsense. It adds nothing to the book. John dos Passos' introduction (borrowed from an earlier edition) is mean-spirited and rather contemptible, but its capsule biography of Frank Harris may be useful to those who know little of his life.

The novel itself is very good, though the novel's focus, the semi-fictitious anarchist Louis Lingg, is a bit too perfect to be believed. He's really not so much a believable character as an author mouthpiece in the style of Ayn Rand's John Galt or Robert Heinlein's Jubal Harshaw. The book is a compelling read nevertheless, and I recommend it highly.

I really liked the way this book was written. Full of descriptions, it tells a story of love, a great friendship and a life that immigrants had and in some ways still have to live in a new country. The book is written in such a way that it makes a reader think that the author, not the protagonist, threw the bomb. It is worth of your money and of your time to read it.