They call it "Successful Manager's Handbook". That is correct. But one thing you should know about this beautifully structured text is that it benefits anyone who seeks knowledge from it. Thus, I would not advise you to wait until you become a 'successful manager' before paying attention to it.
Even if you are the most unsuccessful messenger around, the valuable productivity guidelines in this book would go a long way in defining and improving your status. If diligently applied, the principles of this book would enhance your overall potentials: be it official or domestic.
This book is a handbook for all. It is an asset for matured dealings.

I just picked up a copy in an airport bookstore. I looked at one suggestion, and used it when I got back to the office. My productivity has skyrocketed. I think a lot of the suggestions here are commonsense. But do any of us have enough commonsense?

As a student of Prof. Boehrer, some years back, I heard portions of this book while he was working on it. His writing is tight with fact and ideas and sharpened by exquisite irony of language. This book starts being witty at the title. Palatability increases thereafter.

If you were born between 1965 to 1979, this book is aimed at you. You may end up disagreeing with many of the entries, but not because they're wrong- just because it can be so embarrassing to see your past held up in a modern light.

This is an encyclopaedic recounting of pop-culture memories of many authors, and was originally published in 3 consecutive issues of Darby's magazine "Ben is Dead". One of the unfortunate side-effects of the translation from magazine to book has been the loss of a bit of material. Most/all of the supplementary articles and sidebars have been lost; a lot of pictures have been dropped (possibly from copyright or trademark infringement?); individual entries have been changed, either to remove possibly inflammatory material, or for some judicious editing. Some entries are gone all-together.

But, after 5+ years, my copies of BiD are brown and curling from acidic decay, water damage, constant re-reading. This book is a more durable, more easily transportable, more easily read and shared compendium of what is undoubtedly the best part of the original 3 issues.

For most entries, there are comments from multiple authors- if you don't like what someone wrote about your favorite subject, there's someone else right after them that wrote exactly what you wish you could say. You'll have old dusty memories jarred- both pleasant and unpleasant. You'll cringe in agony when you realize just how stupid we looked drawing a "Z" in the dirt to run faster when wearing Zips shoes. You'll recall that night you saw Pink Lady & Jeff on TV and realized adults didn't know what they were doing, either. You'll also get a lot of info on regional fads (typically southern California) that may not mean much in the rest of the country, but makes for interesting reading.

The best part about the book is the editorial decision to not just concentrate on the happy/good parts of our collective past. A lot of dirt is listed, too, which will make some people uncomfortable, but it makes the book probably the most honest of the pop-culture books that reference the 70s. Instead of sanitizing and making palatable what was, in all honesty, an incredibly vapid and tasteless era, Retro Hell is more of a catharsis for everyone who grew up in that time. The book's not just a fun read, but it'll probably make you a better person, too.

I read about this book in a magazine, and the next time I went to a bookstore, I bought it. I read it too quickly, because I wanted to space it out. It made me laugh (especially the entries about "Bananas" and "Pink Ladies and Jeff"--don't ask me why) a lot and it brought back a lot of memories. The only problem I had (and this is not a problem w/ the book) is that I was born in 1976, so some of the stuff I didn't remember, but I LOVED this book just the same! Buy it!

If you were born during the tail end of the Baby Boom or are part of Gen-X, think of "Retro Hell" as a travel guide to Memory Lane. This book covers almost every aspect of life in the 1970's and '80's, from the most profound to the most trivial. What makes this book a joy is its ability to remind you of the little things you've forgotten -- toys, fads, fashions, one-hit-wonder bands, TV shows, commercials -- and bring back a flood of memories.

Though much of the writing is strongly tongue-in-cheek, it's not all cynical... which is quite refreshing. Not everything about the '70's and '80's was horrible; indeed, in an age of terrorism and war, roller disco doesn't seem so bad.

This book was originally published in 1997. If a newer edition is planned, adding some context would be especially helpful, now that the entire decade of the '90's has passed. For it's the seemingly frivolous things that ultimately shape our lives in unexpected ways.

There's nothing like a good ghost story, especially when it's a true one, but I must say that The Black Hope Horror is a rather unusual tale full of untraditional, poltergeist-type events. Ben and Jean Williams were the first couple to move into the new Section 8 subdevelopment, but the home of their dreams soon became the home of their darkest nightmares. At first, strangeness came in the form of material things: snakes, many of them poisonous, all over the place (not necessarily unusual), freak rainstorms leaving behind large numbers of huge worms, invasions of giant ants oblivious to hot water cycles of dishwashers, toilets which flushed themselves at all hours of the day and night. Members of the family also often had the feeling they were being watched by someone or something, footsteps began to haunt the halls, and the older and younger members of the family changed significantly in terms of their personalities. Cold spots manifested themselves quite often, and electrical malfunctions of an inexplicable sort began happening. One night, Ben encountered two black forms whose icy, enveloping touch sent him to the hospital with something akin to an asthma attack. Similar events influenced the lives of neighbors as the new community began to grow, although no one communicated their experiences with one another until two decomposed bodies were found buried beneath one neighbor's backyard, thus confirming the Williams' fears about the sinkholes in their own property. The family is shocked to learn that the development was constructed above an old black cemetery.

Assuming this story is true (and handfuls of families don't just leave homes and their investments behind and let their properties be foreclosed upon without good reasons), it is quite an interesting, somewhat nontraditional haunting. Two things about this book pose a small problem in my mind, though. First and foremost is the style of the narrative. This is basically the Williams' story as told to John Bruce Shoemaker, and he writes of these events as if he were there recording everything that happened along the way. Memories, especially negative ones such as these, become distorted rather quickly, and I find the plethora of direct quotations from multiple family members, including some this author never met, somewhat laughable. I think the story would be more believable if it was simply described in standard, objective narrative form. Secondly, there is far too much emphasis placed on peripheral events; I refer especially to the very unusual number of emotional problems, sicknesses, and deaths that affected the Williams' while they lived in the house. I just think too many things are blamed on the "haunting." The fact that a couple visits the house a time or two just doesn't seem to explain the breakup of marriages. While it is quite remarkable to see six close family members die in a period of only three years or so, it does not mean the "things" were causing all of the problems. After all, Jean and Ben never got sick or divorced and they lived in the house for several years.

This is a vivid, sometimes fascinating tale of undeniably bizarre events; there aren't as many goose pimple sections as you might find in a more traditional haunting account, but clearly something of a very unusual nature took place on this area of land that was once Black Hope Cemetery. I don't think this book will change anyone's opinion about ghosts or unduly frighten anyone, but certainly there are elements here of high strangeness that make for a compelling read. Even if you set aside the whole haunting premise, what you have left is a pretty powerful human interest story.

I am an ordained minister, shaman and experienced paranormal investigator. I've had experience with a LOT of the same type of phenomenon described in this book personally so I will personally testify that this story is most probably true to the core. This gives a very good insight into how a haunting or disrespecting the spiritual world can cause serious consequences. If I could find enough copies of this book for my group I would make it required reading.

Shortly after reading this book me and my husband at the time went to visit the Newport Subdivision. After we went to see where all this took place my husband's mother died suddenly, we ended up divorced and my car (that we drove thru this subdivision) ended up with a cracked block and my mother died the same year 6 months later. Coincidence? - Dunno but my advice is to read the book but go nowhere near this place. We saw the water tank and the woods and during broad daylight that place was dismal and very, very depressing and spooky.

I have always admired Ben's fine flight simulation guides which have all been excellent in the past and let me just say now: this book does not disappoint. Now I don't want to say anything against the Flight Sim 2000 manual, which is great, but what I will say is that this is not just an extended version of the manual which some people, unfamiliar with Ben's books, may have imagined it would be. It is much, much more. The book contains lots of special tips and techniques that will help both flight simmers new and experienced to get a lot more from the game. I think that the book will greatly improve knowledge of the game and of aviation in general. As well as giving detailed and useful information on Flight Sim 2000, the book also covers lots of great real flight information. The book also covers playing Flight Sim 2000 on the MSN Gaming Zone. Ben's book also has lots of very helpful pictures and diagrams that really pull together the ideas described in the book. I don't think any Flight Sim 2000 owner should be without Ben's excellent new book which is very good value and will certainly help you get the most out of the game! Congratulations and thanks a lot, Ben!

I found this book real great. I have always like ben chinu's books. Its like a real add on to the game. It tells you everything you need to know about Flight simulator 2000. The tips are the best part of it. If you ask me this book should have 10 stars it is a very good aid to Flight Simlator 2000.

This book is amazing! It's an ideal book for the beginner and the professional of Flight Sims. 350 pages long full of detail ranging from Navigation to a detailed list of commands. If you want to fly FS2K to its best level, this book explains how in "friendly" writing. I have also read other FS2K books - but this is far the BEST from my experience of Flight Sims. Even with this book, i am still learning new techniques in the Flight Sim world. I took this book into work the other day and all my fellow pilots were astonished! From what i know, Ben Chiu is the one and only famous flight Sim authors around and his experience with MSN shows for it. I have read many of his books, especially the FS98 Inside moves book. He has a technique that is unique, as he is a real pilot himself holding many ratings! I have heard many Zoners State that they would be lost without this specialist book! - This book deserves 5 stars from me. - MSN Gaming Zone System Operator, Flight Simulator 2000 Lead.

Ben Bova usually writes workmanlike science fiction novels that are stronger in the exploration of scientific ideas than in characterization. In Brothers, Bova tries to work on characterization and fails miserably.

The story is about two brothers, Arthur and Jesse Marshak, who are opposing each other in a science trial. Arthur has been developing the technology to re-grow organs, a technology that may have led to the death of one his employees. Against this backdrop, the sibling rivalry of the brothers is played out. The story of the problems with the technology isn't bad but the characters just are too unbelievable.

Arthur Marshak is the older brother and a good and decent man. His brother Jesse is portrayed as selfish and self-centred early on but becomes more likable as the story progresses. Jesse is either a jerk or he isn't and Bova doesn't give him enough complexity to balance it. Nor does he undergo a conversion of great significance during the story. Jesse's characterization is bad but his wife Julia's is abysmal. Julia is portrayed as the most sympathetic and compassionate individual in the story. Yet this woman quite literally goes from Arthur's bed to Jesse's. In real life actions like this break up families and are not done by caring, compassionate individuals. Subordinate characters fare no better. The key politician is stereotypically just out for votes. The fundamentalist Christian preacher is unprincipled and perhaps even a crook. It strikes me that writers can only get away with these types of attacks on Protestants and the stereotypes are highly discriminatory.

Will the science trial turn out favourably? Will the two brothers be reconciled? The conclusion doesn't make a lot of sense. Bova can do better.

I was 2/3rd's of the way through this book and realized that nothing was going on. Two very self absorbed brothers make amends while each maintaining their own opposing views. I guess I was disappointed to say the least. The ending was very anticlimactic.

When I first examined "Brothers" I was a bit dismayed to find its construction utilizing the "different chapter, different viewpoint" technique, the very same style which had forced me to read Monsarrat's "Kapillan Of Malta", in two unsatisfying operations... all the odds, and then all the evens.
But Ben Bova has done a rather better job with what is, in fact, a very difficult technique. His chapters are short, so that the reader does not lose the thread of the narrative, and the register and voice of each viewpoint's dialogue is authentically maintained. Even the many flashback or flash-forward sequences are well signalled and slip seamlessly into the structure. Perhaps those of my reviewing colleagues at Amazon, who so panned this work, should try their hand at this genre....Folks, it is harder than it looks, and Bova has done it well!

Working in pharmacy, and also serving, from time to time, on a panel which examines potential names for newly patented prototype medications, I was naturally interested in the medical research background to this story...and could well imagine the authenticity of the underlying conflicts as the factions representing medical and social ethics, academic lobbying, political aspirations, avarice versus selflessness, and humanitarianism versus personal ambition fought it out against a University laboratory background ...test tubes at ten paces!

The theme of genetic modification , in this case the viability of empowering the human body to grow its own replacement parts,thus requiring no donor organs and no surgery, is probably even more keenly debated now than when this book was written five years ago...and the points this book makes, or leaves for us to ponder, are still the subject of much media exploration, and a lot of bandwagonning and bandstanding! .....

The brothers of the story, Arthur, the protective elder, and Jesse , the indulged younger, represent the conflict of research for financial gain versus research to aid the poor and needy...though, as in real life, the two philosophies waver, weaken at times, even change direction, the whole issue complicated by the fact that both men have been engaged to the same woman, but only one has married her!

Add to this a few potboiler subplots.......a mother dying of cancer, too late for the research to help her, a suicidal, cancer-prone genetic researcher in love with the lab's experimental , near-human chimp, an ultrasound that predicts a spina-bifida child (who COULD be helped), an evangelizing clergymen, ambitious politicians, patent-poaching foreign firms, agressive journalists, and the inevitable animal-rights liberationists , and you have something for everyone here!

And with the New York background so vividly described, and the details of each character's appearance, wardrobe and restaurant selections made so available to us, one need almost not wait for the movie to be made.... except that one has the sneaking suspicion that Bova intended this novel to be televised.......pity Sean Connery and Robert Redford are getting a bit long in the tooth.....suppose we'll just have to settle for John Travolta and Hugh Grant...and fake New York accents!

READ "BROTHERS" BY BEN BOVA...IT ISN'T AS BAD AS EVERYONE SAYS!
DARE I ADMIT I ENJOYED IT?

I bought this book and also a general purpose Unix administration book ("Essential System Administration : Help for Unix System Administrators (Nutshell Handbook)" by AEleen Frisch). Nine time out of ten the solution was in the excellent general purpose book and not in this System V book which turned out to be really disappointing. Buy a different book.