After four years of college, I could no longer run from chemistry. After numerous drops from the class, I finally found a chemistry book which is easy to understand. This book has every example problem you could think of. Every chapter gives you a good introduction, then cuts strait to the points every novice chemistry student should know to pass a general college level class. I do suggest a run through of chemistry in high school before stepping up to this book. I would have liked to have seen a book accompany the text which shows the drawn out ways to answer the review questions at the end of every chapter. Other than that this book is very down to earth and easy to follow.

I had difficulties solving chemistry problems I also bought many books but when I found this one in My local library I was extremely happy with the simplicity of the text problem examples
THIS IS THE BEST BOOK FOR CHEMISTRY CLASS EVER ....I HAD A D IN MY FIRST CHEMISTRY CLASS NOW I AM GETTING As AND Bs Every household should have one .... The best book by far

This book is very well written, with helpful diagrams and detailed examples. It is easy to understand and text and with this book it is truly not hard to understand chemistry and do well. I easily got an A in Chemistry I and I believe that everyone who failed the class simply didn't look over the book or their notes after class. It certainly wasn't the fault of the professor or the text- both explained chemistry very well.

In response to Hank Adams review on Esther Ross, Stillaguamish Champion. Regarding the weakness ascribed to the book by Hank when Ruby is delving into comments made by Mad Bear about Dick Gregory. In footnote 6 of Chapter 7, a reference is made to the citation for Ruby's claim of Mad Bear's judgement of Gregory. The source cited is Arlington Times December 15, 1966: "Of the Nisquallies, the Tuscarora remarked that they had made a bad mistake by importing Dick Gregory, Negro comedian, to draw attention to their cause. (Gregory was arrested and brought to trial last month on a charge of illegal fishing.) The Indian and Negro problems are not the same. There is no parallel, Indians owned and occupied the land, while the Negro people were brought in as slaves of the white man. Therefore, he said, the Medicine Creek Treaty was not allowed at Gregory's trial." The authors properly cited their source of information before making the statement.

Esther Ross, Stillaguamish Champion, reads like a novel. It is the thirteenth book by Robert H. Ruby and John A. Brown, co-authors of several popular Pacific Northwest Indian ethnohistories. American Indian activist LaDonna Harris describes it as "A story about an American Indian woman who takes incredible risks." Esther's daring schemes for tribal identification were played out over fifty years (1926-1976).
Legislators who met up with Ross still mention the fiery-eyed Indian woman chief obsessed with the goal of federal recognition of the Stillaguamish people. The tribe was a signatory of the 1855 Point Elliott Treaty, yet without federal recognition the Stillaguamish could not carry into effect the treaty promises-rights to certain lands, use of certain waterways. Eventually the policy makers with whom Esther kept company by way of her frequent trips to the Capitol declared her a nuisance. Her long-winded speeches, highly repetitive, and her disregard for protocol irritated the officials; she would talk far beyond her allotted time, and she wouldn't go home.
Ruby and Brown invested almost a decade piecing together Esther's story after her son Frank offered them the five footlockers of primary documents and secondary source materials which Esther had kept. While the materials provided a close look at twentieth-century Indian politics and federal policy, the compelling subject was Esther Ross, a woman ordinary and extraordinary, complex and creative, tricky and tenacious as a bulldog.
Ruby points out that Ross "was a double minority, one-fourth Indian and a feminist before that word was coined." Hard to believe that this same Esther never knew she was Indian until near the end of her high school years. Her father was Norwegian, and Esther lived her girlhood in white Northern California society. Her mother, not noticeably Indian, did not enlighten her daughter regarding Stillaguamish blood quantum. Esther's father died when she was ten. When Esther was twenty-two, in response to a call from Indian relatives in distress, Esther and her mother moved to Washington State where Esther, ignorant of tribal history, decided to "uncover her identity."
To strengthen her quest Esther searched the vicinity of the Stillaguamish River for a legitimate source of land to qualify as a land base for her people. She sought ancestral burial grounds from the whites who owned and plowed them. Instead she was offered some bones from an exposed site. Applying her flair for the dramatic, Esther would spill these human bone fragments across the desk of governor Dan Evans in Olympia and later, display them in the national Capitol.
In pre-war days Esther's foot-going treks to visit Stillaguamish families increased the tribal membership to more than sixty, but post-war visits revealed a group more interested in award moneys than in Esther's larger goals.
During 1964 Esther's path crossed that of Herbert Holdridge, a retired brigadier general who advocated buying up Nevada desert land and turning it into a sovereign nation for American Indians. However, she had far greater interest in fishing rights for the Stillaguamish, a matter of sustenance and revenue. Joining the Poor People's Campaign (1968), Esther and her son Frank were bused to DC where Esther made her presence felt.
The Boldt Case would make the difference. The federal government was contesting the state of Washington's control of Indian fishing rights. The government attorney advised that Indians were entitled to fifty percent of the fish harvest; the state had ruled five percent. Judge George Boldt would try the case in Tacoma's U.S. District Court. And Esther Ross would have her "fifteen minutes." Fortunately for Esther-and the courtroom-David Getches represented Esther as special counsel. When she took the stand, he guided her through a review of Stillaguamish River history. Judge Boldt's ruling favored the tribes. The grumbling of non-Indian commercial fishers was heard for years, but the Stillaguamish had won the right to fish.
It would be difficult to add up the thousands and thousands of miles Esther Ross traveled during her fifty-year crusade for Stillaguamish recognition by the federal government. Or to say how many state capitols she visited, how many elected officials heard her speak-badgering, cajoling, but never threatening-on behalf of all unrecognized tribes who 120 years ago had chosen to stay on their homelands rather than accept the reserves chosen by white men. Their great-grandfathers had signed a treaty that would preserve fishing rights, but those rights had been denied the landless Indians. Esther became, eventually, champion for the whole, her mission self-sustained despite her meager income. Esther's complete and absolute dedication was not doubted. Perhaps this accounted for her supporters even among those persons who deplored her outrageous schemes.
Among such schemes was one that would temporarily disrupt the national Bicentennial pageant. The escapade began June, 1975 in Blaine, Washington, near the Canadian border, where three horse-drawn wagons and Western-clad riders headed for the 200th National Birthday Celebration, a 3000-mile trek to Valley Forge. It was son Frank's idea to set up an attack, to waylay the wagon train until the Secretary of the Interior unconditionally recognized the Stillaguamish tribe. Frank called television and radio stations, and Paul Harvey on his daily national newscast announced the impending attack. Indian activism of the 1970s was recalled-siege at Wounded Knee, takeover at Alcatraz, trouble at Fort Lawton. The "attack" might prove to be more than symbolic.
At Stillaguamish headquarters (Island Crossing), Frank stopped the wagons. And Esther, age 71, a wrinkled little woman wearing Indian clothing, stood in the middle of the road and read her speech. An assistant to the interior secretary assured Esther that the document granting tribal recognition would be ready in thirty days. Eight months then passed without word from the government, and a new secretary of the interior, Thomas Kleppe, was appointed.
Two years after the Boldt decision Esther "recruited" a steelhead trout from the Stillaguamish river to play a part in a scheme that stunk to high heaven. Needing to familiarize Kleppe with her drive for tribal recognition, she air-freighted him a frozen 18-pound trout labeled "Washington Salmon." The flying fish had begun to age en route; on arrival, dockers, holding their noses, wanted someone from Interior to take it off their hands immediately. Kleppe's response to Esther was to thank her and mention his preference for beef, saying he had given the beautiful fish to his neighbors.
Esther had problems within her tribe. They referred to her style of leadership as nepotism and resented her hiring whites as assistants. They challenged her right to increase, then decrease, the blood quantum for tribal enrollment to suit her personal intent. They openly wondered how much of tribal funds she was spending on herself. The Stillaguamish wanted Esther stripped of privileges and functions. It was more than two years since the promise made at the wagon train; push needed to become shove. Esther Ross sued the Department of Interior. Judge June L. Green heard the case. On October 27, 1976 Esther Ross' goal was achieved: the Stillaguamish had a recognized place in time.
During January, 1988 Esther began to sicken. Ever-protective son Frank cared for his mother until her death August 1, 1988, a month short of her 84th birthday.

My name is Sandra M. Allen, Chief Esther R. Ross Was my Mom and grandmother.

My brother David has received a history book for his birthday about yrs after grandma passed away in 1990 and we had noticed that the full information wasn't in it about Stillaguamish and this is when we decided to have Esther's(grandmas)story written.

I spent from birth till I was 16years old on the road with grandma and I had an education that I thought should be shared and here it is. To me Grandma was a role model and someone I wanted to live my life by and follow. In the book tells everything both good and bad in some eyes, but everyone has a opion. When my dad (Frank)and myself talked about it too me I wanted a book out because I wanted to have people read and see what she did and was able to do. To me she did more then she was ever given credit for. David and myself gave our education while growing up but in this book everyone can see why we are proud to have had the experience. I have finished high school and college this year will be going on to law school to finish grandmas work... I will be going for Land and Water rights and am very proud to have had her as a Mom and as a role model. My Father Chief Frank Allen passed away one week before seeing the cover of the book on May 14.2001 it was given to us at the gave site, this is to us a wonderful book and has everything in it that we wanted and to my brother David and myself we hope schools will use it and hope that it encourages people to not give up and that one person can make a difference. This women you all are reading about was a legend, role modle,history maker,mother,and friend. She had people who couldn't stand to be around her and she had people who couldn't wait to see her she was a honor to be around and I am proud to say this book is a 5 star. This wasn't to be about facts or to please everyone this book is from us to you the readers its not just one more book Ruby and Brown have written, this is a part of our lives and a way to keep it all together for our children and grandchildren and so on this is opening up our lives to you to share with you what kind of women she was, she was a loving, caring and I wouldn't be who I am today if it wasn't for her and my dad Frank Allen, I would have been like my other siblings out drinking and no education or just given up but my goal in life is to be like her and do as she would have me do. So please take the time and read about my mother/grandmother, and see why we wanted to share her life with you and I hope she can be a role model for you also or your children. I was with Esther till she was taken from us and went on to school and when I graduated I dedicated my diploma to my grandma and dad cause without them I wouldn't have had the wisdom or strength to try and be the most I could be....

So please share this with others and I hope the memories of our life with our mom/grandmother and father will live on. Dad and Grandma always were together and now they are together in peace.
I miss dad and grandma so Dearly but with this it makes it as they are here with us still and I can still her my grandmas voice when I read the book so many memories. Some people have a scrap book we have a history richer to us then gold that is what dad and grandma left me the richest person on earth a life time of fighting and tears and sweat to give me and my children and theirs an IDENTITY and its one we hold close to our hearts.

I have searched for months for a good commentary on the Gospel of John and it looks like the search continues. I got it based on the reviews I have seen on the book from readers. I guess its different strokes for different folks. I am more of a greek and indepth detials on new testament words. My type of commentary is the classic on Jude&Peter by Bauckham. I didn't get that type of exegesis from Brown.

Raymond Brown is an incredible scholar and has presented one of the finest commentaries written on the gospel according to John. Both introductory notes and main commentary are fluid and reveal significant insight. The book is an absolute pleasure to read regardless of theological persuation and one does not get worn out with overly technical information found in other commentaries of this caliber.

Raymond E. Brown was regarded as one of the finest New Testament scholars of his generation. His commentary on John, in two volumes, is unmatched in the English language. The only other commentary to rival its depth and scope is that of Bultmann which is available in translation. Brown, a Roman Catholic brings massive erudition, with sober judgment and extraordinary clarity of mind. In a world where commentaries on John are as common as translations of the Bible, it is good to know that there is one that is "The Best". This is it.

I have searched for months for a good commentary on the Gospel of John and it looks like the search continues. I got it based on the reviews I have seen on the book from readers. I guess its different strokes for different folks. I am more of a greek and indepth detials on new testament words. My type of commentary is the classic on Jude&Peter by Bauckham. I didn't get that type of exegesis from Brown.

We used R.A. Brown's Introduction to the New Testament in our seminary intro class and I've never found him the easiest to read, but I really like his commentary on John's gospel... and on the epistles. For "ugo" who says he's looking for more of an exegetical approach, I would suggest C.K. Barrett's commentary.

Why don't you offer both volumes? I notice that your competition offers the other volume. Another more recent study of John's Gospel is "The Good Wine" by Bernard Barnhart. I highly recommend it also.

Knowledge Management, published by Harvard Business School Press, is a compilation of articles excerpted from the Harvard Business Review covering a period from 1988-1997. The articles in general focus on the way organizations can acquire, use, and maintain knowledge in order to remain on the cutting edge of their fields. The underlying message of this book, expressed by Peter F. Drucker in "The Coming of the New Organization (page 1)," is that future organizations must take advantage of technology to collect and track data so that data can be translated into useful information.

The manner in which companies acquire knowledge from data can vary. Ikujiro Nonaka in his article "The Knowledge Creating Company (page 21)" provides a general approach. Nonaka suggests that creating new knowledge requires, in addition to the processing of objective information, tapping into the intuitions insights and hunches of individual employees and then making it available for use in the whole organization. Within this framework is an understanding of two types of knowledge: tacit and explicit. Both of these have to exist in an organization and exchange between and within each type is needed for creation of new knowledge. Another point in Nonaka's article is that the creation of new knowledge is not limited to one department or group but can occur at any level. It requires a system that encourages frequent dialogue and communication. Similar but more defined ideas are presented in David Garvin's "Building a Learning Organization (page 47)."

Garvin's approach focuses on the importance of having an organization that learns. Garvin defines a learning organization as one that is "skilled at creating, acquiring, and transferring knowledge, and at modifying its behavior to reflect new knowledge and insights (page 51)." He describes five activities/skills that are the foundation for learning organizations. These are systematic problem solving, experimentation, and review of past experiences, learning from others, and transferring knowledge.

"Teaching Smart People How to Learn (page 81)" by Chris Argyris, deals with the way individuals within an organization can block the acquisition of new knowledge because of the way they reason about their behavior. In order to foster learning behavior in all employees, an organization must encourage productive reasoning. One caution is that use of productive reasoning can be threatening and actually hampers the process of learning if not implemented throughout the whole organization.

Leonard and Straus in "Putting Your Company's Whole Brain to Work (page 109)," address another way in which knowledge can be acquired. They identify two broad categories: left brained and right brained individuals, with different approaches to the same concept based on cognitive differences. Within these categories, there is great potential for conflict, which can stifle the creative process. However these different perspectives are important for full development of a new concept. Innovative companies should keep a balance of these different personality types to avoid stagnation and to encourage development of new ideas. The management of the cognitive types in a way that is productive for the company occurs through the process of creative abrasion.

One can surmise from the articles in general that data and information are valuable if they can be used to maintain the knowledge base or provide the basis for acquiring new knowledge. The organization that creates new knowledge encourages the following in its employees: creativity, a commitment to the goals of the organization, self-discipline, self-motivation, and individual exploration and identification of behaviors that may be barriers to learning. Cognitive preferences should be recognized and used to the companies' advantage. Finally, companies can learn from the best practices of others and from their customers. After knowledge is acquired, it can be disseminated for use throughout the organization and maintained in different ways.

One key method to maintain knowledge repeated in several articles is the importance of an environment that fosters innovation. Quinn et al, in "Managing Professional Intellect: Making the Most of the Best (page 181)," describe this as creating a culture of self-motivated creativity within an organization. There are several ways to do this: recruitment of the best for that field, forcing intensive early development (exposing new employees early to complex problems they have to solve), increasing professional challenges and rigorous evaluations.

Another way to maintain and use knowledge is through pioneering research, described by Brown in "Research that reinvents the Corporation (page 153)." In this process companies can combine basic research practices, with its new and fresh solutions, and applied research to the company's most pressing problems. Dissemination of new knowledge can occur by letting the employees experience the new innovation and so own it. As mentioned in the article by Nonaka, creation of a model that represents the new information is a way for transfer to the rest of the organization. Also the knowledge from the professional intellect within an organization can be transferred into the organization's systems, databases and operating technologies and so made available to others within the organization. An example of this is Merryl Lynch, which uses a database of regularly updated information to link its 18,000 agents.

Yet another tool for disseminating information within an organization is the learning history, described by Kleiner and Roth in "How to Make Experience Your Company's Best Teacher (page 137)." This makes use of the ages old community practice of storytelling to pass on lessons and traditions. The learning history collects data from a previous experience with insight from different levels of employees involved and puts it together in the form of a story that can be used in discussion groups within the organization. In companies where this has been used, it builds trust, provides an opportunity for collective reflection, and can be an effective way to transfer knowledge from one part of the company to another. In addition, incentives in the form of a report in response to the new innovation and achievement awards encourages employees to learn and helps with the dissemination of information.

Looking for some informative, original and clear thinking about knowledge management? This book is a great choice! In its pages you will find an outstanding collection of articles drawn from past editions of the HBR. The eight articles cover: analysis of a knowledge-creating company; building a learning organization, using experience; teaching people how to learn; and managing professional intellect. Each article begins with an executive summary which, for the fast-forward crowd, is a big plus.

So many books are merely ONE GOOD ARTICLE embedded in a thicket of verbiage. Chopping away through such a jungle of verbosity for the gist-of-it-all often proves tedious and disappointing. (Blessed are the laconic!) This book, on the other hand, just serves up a bunch of 'gists' -the pure meat and potatoes of ideas. Happily, the HBSP has published several other collections of this sort on such topics as leadership, change, and strategies for growth. Each of these is collection of first-rate 'gists'. Reviewed by Gerry Stern, founder, Stern & Associates, author of Stern's Sourcefinder The Master Directory to HR and Business Management Information & Resources, Stern's CyberSpace SourceFinder, and the Compensation and Benefits SourceFinder.

While other facets of managment consulting will ultimately yield to lower-cost technology tools, or consultants, KM shall reign as the ultimate value-added analysis. That was my hypothesis before buying this book, and it has only been proven true. The essays in the book range from esoteric to the executable, and include valuable case studies to punctuate the themes. Knowledge Management means so many things, that it can come to mean nothing. This book does an excellent job of providing some metes and bounds to the topic and to stimulate thinking around important organizational and operational issues.But don't get it and expect to be an "instant expert." This is an overview, albeit an excellent one.

Another great Flashman read, although certainly no where near as clever or funny as some of the early in the series. Some very interesting historical information as always, and Flashman is inserted into history rather well. But the scope/focus of the book is a little to narrow, and the main focus of the book really not all that interesting from a late 20th Century reader's perspective. Flashman's ideaology seems to come out rather more in this book, and its a bit of a worry from an experienced Flashman reader's point of view that he *has* one! :-) I'm looking forward to the book which details Flashy's exploits (or lack of them) in the US Civil War - I hope that will set the standad as a real Flashman classic.

As a dedicated Flashman fan since discovering the first in the series in 1974, I was disappointed. I had, of course, both to read it and have a hardback copy for my collection, but I hope Mr. Fraser isn't running out of steam or humor. Neither of the two immediately previous books (Dragon and Mountain of Light) were especially funny, but they were both fascinating and satisfying without being as contrived as this one is. I think I disliked (relatively speaking) this one for the same reason I disliked (relatively speaking) Royal Flash: it was very contrived. One great thing about the Flashman series has always been the ease and seamlessness with which Mr. Fraser has inserted our protagonist into history. Perhaps this is a preliminary to his book about Flashman in the Civil War, which I've been waiting for for what seems like forever, probably since reading Flashman's Who's Who entry in the first book. I hope Mr. Fraser writes that book next and that he does all he can to make it worth a twenty-three-year wait.

Flashman and the Angel of the Lord was my introduction to writer George Fraiser and "his" character, Harry Flashman. I was impressed and pleased. Impressed with Frasier's scholarship (the fictional Flashman's interactions with real historic persons and events is accurate, as his extensive endnotes demonstrate). Pleased with the irreverant, wholly unconventional and most certainly un-PC character of Harry Flashman.

In the Angel of the Lord, Flashman - a scandalous character "resurrected" from the 19th century novel Tom Brown's Schooldays and a self-described "bully, poltroon, cad, turncoat, lecher and toady" - finds himself aiding John Brown in his raid at Harper's Ferry. Conspiracies abound with several factions enlisting the "assistance" of Flashman to either foil the attempt or help pull it off. The misadventures of Harry Flashman as he navigates the intrigue and double-dealing combined with the Fraiser's rapier-like wit and irreverant style had me riveted to the story line while laughing out loud. I will certainly read the remainder of the "Flashman Chronicles" and I recommend this one highly.

Sorry, but I have to disagree with the reviews so far. I my opinion this is the worst book from QUE-Books I have ever read (most of the QUE-books are really good). The author never explains the essential details about HTML, he always strays into simple, unneccessary details or into complicated, unneccessary details, but never gets to the point what is really useful. And if there's the rare occasion something is really explained, it will be repeated at least five times... I don't want to say the author doesn't know what he is writting about, he simply just don't know how to write...

I just have to say this is the greatest book ever written. Why? Because it's MY web site that is featured in Chapter 3, Fig 3.12! It's under the heading of "The Wrong Stuff: What Not to Put on the Web"

I never got any royalty money out of the deal either, whats up with that? Can I sue for defamation of web site? Hmmm... probably not, but since it's the first site I ever made back when I was a freshman in Highschool, and now it's immortalized in print - I forgive him.

Greatest book ever written!

This book was great

The author attacks the "law of silence," a law he attributes to the traditional hermeneutic of "command, example, and necessary inference" applied in many churches of Christ. He describes the law as "anything that is not specifically authorized is not allowed." He criticizes this law as impossible to apply consistently and as "productive of division and great harm to the cause of Christ."

The author begins his attack on the "law of silence" with the assertion, "Silence is like blankness; it is nothing." To illustrate this, on page 3 of the book he states that the next page is blank and challenges the reader with the statement, "What do you see on it? You see nothing, otherwise it would not be blank." On page 5, he continues his argument with the assertion, "Silence is like blankness; it is nothing."

Ironically, this "blank page" illustration undercuts the author's central premise. Not only can one say that the completely blank page between the numbered pages 3 and 5 is page 4 as surely as if the number were written on it, the very reason the author included the blank page in the book was to attempt to communicate something! What the illustration actually proves is that silence may or may not say something, depending on its context. That is a profound point, although not the point the author intended to make.

In the chapters that follow, the author suggests that the "law of silence" he is attacking is widely applied in the churches of Christ. Late in the book, however, he acknowledges that virtually every church of Christ in the world accepts many things that would be prohibited by the "law of silence," including church buildings, gospel invitations at assemblies, baptistries, English (or other) translations of the Bible, church literature (other than the Bible), congregational singing, song leaders, pitch pipes or tuning forks, singing in harmony, pews or other seating in church buildings, two separate meetings on Sundays, meetings during the week, Sunday school classes, handshaking (as opposed to the "holy kiss" of Scripture), missionary journeys by auto, horseback or airplane, and the use of projectors, videos or other visual aids in teaching or preaching.

Again, the author undercuts his own argument. If virtually every church of Christ in the world accepts most or all of the above things as within Scriptural authority, then virtually no church of Christ in the world actually applies the "law of silence" the author is attacking. The author, in other words, is not attacking a real position, merely a "straw man."

After knocking down this "straw man," the author claims victory for his position, which, in essence, is that the silence of Scriptures is not prohibitive, but permissive. He attempts to place some limitations on this position, stating that silence should not be read to permit things that are specifically condemned, things that are prohibited in principle, things that would prevent compliance with express commands, and things that are contrary to the "instinctive" or "inner law" of conscience "which God has written in the heart of man."

These limitations are so nebulous that virtually anything not expressly condemned could be justified under the author's hermeneutic. The only practical limitations on the work and worship of the church would be the fads and inhibitions of each generation. Judged by the author's indictment of the "law of silence" as difficult to apply and productive of division, his own hermeneutic appears to be a step backward.

The author's argument includes critiques of many of the so-called "proof texts" for the principle that silence can be restrictive. Some of these critiques appear valid. Others appear strained. Surprisingly, the author makes no attempt to discuss Matthew 28:18-20, a passage that is very difficult to read consistent with his position that lack of affirmative authority is generally permissive.

Despite its serious flaws, this book does make some needed points. Among these are that the old hermeneutic of "command, example, and necessary inference" has led some in the churches of Christ to focus on the letter of the law to the exclusion of its spirit, context, and core message, that not everything must be specifically authorized, that not all commands are universally applicable, that not all examples are limitations on authority, and that "reasonable inferences" should not be mistaken for "necessary inferences." On those points, the book has its place for the careful student. A more thoughtful and compelling critique of the old hermeneutic--along with a more workable refinement--can be found in F. LaGard Smith's 1992 book "The Cultural Church."

Despite some possible flaws in his presentation of this subject, John Brown at least got the conversation started! Another reviewer points us to a book by F. Lagard Smith on a similar subject: Keep in mind that Mr. Smith wrote his book after Mr. Brown and may have been greatly influenced by it. As a matter of fact, several books have been written on this subject since Brown's book came out. In any case, Mr. Brown was very brave to admit that he preached for decades using "the law of silence", which he now thinks was wrong. More preachers and teachers and leaders in our churches should be willing to open themselves up to ridicule in this way when necessary. That's called leadership. So what that he's not as scholarly as law professors like Smith! At least he had the guts to stick his neck out and say what so many of us were thinking. This book outlines all the common arguments and presents solid scriptural reasons to refute them. He plainly lists all the scriptures so you can look it up and decide for yourself.

John Brown is very well versed in "Church of Christisms" and presents his excellent study of the arguments which he used for years in support of the authority of Biblical silence. Brown now exposes the hidden flaws of the arguements supporting the widely accepted Church of Christ hermaneutic of the authority of silence and gives convincing evidence that Biblical Silence is mythological and proves nothing.

As Hagel has done in his other books, he successfully synthesizes a signficant emerging trend into some provocative concepts and models. The three phases of restructuring, reduced cost of interaction, notions of loosely coupled process networks, unbundling/rebundling, etc. are all provocative and applicable concepts. There is much that I liked alot in this book and many new and interesting examples bring his ideas to life. I have already handed out over 50 copies of this books to friends and associates.

As with Hagel's other books, however, some of the concepts are taken too far almost to the point of being contrived...or to an unpractical level of abstraction. I think he actually could have left the almost "technical" explaination of the Web services grid out entirely. Components of the Web-services architecture don't tie to the rest of the book. A non-technical exec could skip/skim that chapter entirely and not miss much and still gain lot's from the book. Bottom line: Web-services (2nd Generation Web apps) facilitates easy connections between systems and building and extended real-time enterprise(big deal) but is still very much a work in progress...with lot's of value to be achieved today while remainder of grid is maturing.

I think there will be many more books written on this topic. The next logical one would examine and model the economics of process networks and rebundling while providing examples of rebundling and likely incorporate offshore/low-cost sourcing...and illustrate the practical tradeoffs, returnes, risks, against the existing human capital.

Great start!

Out of the Box provides a visionary approach to the promises of this new web programming and architecture called web services. In the second chapter he warns the ready about the writing becoming technical challenging but does a fair job of bringing the technology to the beginner's level. Perhaps more business books should help executives understand Internet technology so that the complexity could be appreciated in a realistic light. As with many books which try to predict future trends in Internet technology in business, Hagel works from a limited number of examples and tends to overuse some. The main weakness of the book is what many who purchase IT consulting services understand too well - early applications of new technology can easily be overpromised and deliver disappointing or more costly results. However, the book's strength is its forward-looking application of a technology that does indeed have great potential.

Too many people perceive Out of the Box as a "technology" book. To some extent, John Hagel fosters this impression by using a sub-title that focuses on Web services technology. In fact, this is a very insightful book on business strategy - both on the substance of business strategy and the process of business strategy. This insight is starting to be recognized - Strategy and Business (the publication of Booz Allen Hamilton) recently designated Out of the Box as one of the Best Business Books of 2002 and they placed it firmly in the Strategy category. Anyone interested in strategy needs to read this book.

The most recent edition of this book would be better called the "approximate" guide to Spain. Much of the information in this book is simply wrong: maps were upside down (north pointing downwards), accomodations recommended were often dirty or unpleasant or much more expensive than the rough guide said or than alternatives we found on our own, descriptions of things such as the entrances to cathedrals and locations of turists offices were wrong, and often instead of recommending specific places the authors just recommended checking with the local turist offices for accomodations and other information -- making us question what the book was good for anyway. I had a much much better experience with the Lonely Planet guides. Do not buy this book if you are looking for help getting around Spain.

This is the only book you will ever need while traveling in Spain. I hope it is sufficient to say that I own the 5th, the 6th, the 7th and the 8th edition of this book. During the past 10 years I visited all regions in Spain and this book has been a excellent help.

This is an excellant travel guide book. It is an essential book for any one traveling to Spain, especially if this is your virgin trip to the country. There is a broad spectrum of choices to choose from, from the very inexpensive to the very expensive. It fills the palette for all tastes. The inexpensive choices give you a taste for the culture and people of the area that you visit and their comments are honest and helpful. I will buy this guide wherever I travel.