Are you looking for a cookbook that doesn't include things like "Old Fahioned Hand Dried Pressed o"regano on a Steam Baked Fowl". It's time for us all to enjoy everything from "Idiot-proof Chocolate Cake" to "Curry Glazed Chicken" to "Apple Crisp". This book is incredibly simple to use. It does not throw you into the wildly complicated world of cooking. It helps you with the basics. It is well organized, and has good tips for beginners. It even tells you how to shop and do common kitchen appliance matienence. Organization is helpful in this book made for the beginning chef. It is divided into sections, each informative and humorous. Indexes and lists of tips and facts only add to the appeal of this book.This book's recipes are simple and easy to make. However, this does not mean the recipes are plain or do not turn out well. You will get countless complements on this food when taken to potlucks. Enjoy Clueless in the Kitchen, it is an excellent buy that will teach you how to cook. Get it today, your taste buds will thank you.

As a young adult librarian, and an amature cook, I have nothing but good things to say about this cookbook. I found it to be well designed, fun to read, and highly informative, but never intimidating. I've been pushing it every chance I get, and plan to buy a copy for my teenage brother...plus as a graduation gift for my cousins. The illustrations are wacky, but not childish. My favorite detail is the collection of icons used to show what catagories recipes fall into. This book is the perfect combination of entertainment and useful information!

i bought this cookbook in junior high and i have loved it since. evelyn raab wrote the recipes in a way so that they weren't intimidating for a beginning cook. in fact it's much like receiving advice on cooking from a trusted friend. she wants you to succeed and writes in a way that makes you feel like you really can. it helped me get started with my cooking and four years later i'm still using it regularly. i highly recommend this book whether you're just starting or you've already amassed a large collection of cookbooks. no collection would be truly complete without this one.

A number of years ago, I read Roger von Oech's A WHACK ON THE SIDE OF THE HEAD. It was fairly early in my career, when the mold is still unformed but the message was poignant. Recently, when I ran across EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED and saw von Oech was the author, I decided to pick it up and renew myself to von Oech's teachings. What a breath of fresh air he offers with EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.

von Oech draws heavily upon the ancient wisdom of Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher. Heraclitus, like Parmenides, postulated a model of nature and the universe which created the foundation for all other speculation on physics and metaphysics. The ideas that the universe is in constant change and there is an underlying order or reason to this change-the Logos-form the essential foundation of the primary Heraclitean view. Everytime one walks into a science, economics, or political science course, at most any level, significantly all the teachings originate with Heraclitus's speculations on change and the Logos.
Despite this and the fact the ancient Greeks considered Heraclitus one of their principal philosophers, precious little remains of his writings. The passages remaining are tremendously obtuse, not because they are quoted out of context, but because Heraclitus deliberately cultivated an obscure writing style (one that makes one THINK!). However, thanks to von Oech's passion for all that is Heraclitus and his teachings, we are presented with many the ancient 'riddles' and a modern day correlation and translation of each. von Oech recalls being struck with "the Heraclitean bug" while studying in Germany many years ago. Now, he has written a book in which he brilliantly and entertainingly examines concepts such as symbol, paradox, and ambiguity in relation to creative thought.

At the beginning of EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED, von Oech provides the reader with 30 creative insights to consider and explore our creative psyches. von Oech goes through each of the thirty selected epigrams, provides his interpretation along with examples, parables, and questions-the kind that make you go "Hmmm"- all the while stoking the creative being within. von Oech does not attempt to inform the reader that his interpretation is the correct one; to the contrary, he implores the reader to step outside the boundries of conventional thought to find the "correct" answer.

As he was in A WHACK ON THE SIDE OF THE HEAD, von Oech is immensely entertaining. He is an individual who has spent his career assisting others to think creatively. As a byproduct of this career, von Oech has proven himself to be a prodigous creative thinker in his own right. Those in the 'concrete' professions-attorneys, consultants, accountants-will find this book extremely insightful. Thinking in the abstract is incongruent with the 'concrete' professions (I know, I'm one of them). As such, having the fodder to stoke the creative juices, particularly when problem-solving, is a boon to any professional.

At it's small physical size and only 190-odd pages, this book is perfect to keep handy at your desk or any place one engages in thought. I plan to keep it nearby just to refer to when a problem presents itself in an ostensibly unsolvable manner.

Highly recommended.

Roger Von Oech has an uncommon gift: he can mix knowledge, wisdom and humour. Von Oech is a fan of Heraclitus. If you really like to think creatively you will be a fan too.

I have never believed in reading about the theory of creativity: is like believing that you are exercising by watching ESPN. If you want to achieve the reality of a way to stimulate your creative thinking this book is for you.

Any work from this author is satisfaction guaranteed.

"Expect the Unexpected or You Won't Find It" is a collection of thirty of Heraclitus' epigrams along with an examination of some of their different facets. Heraclitus was a Greek scholar who answered many of life's questions with comments that were purposely designed to be obscure. This forced the recipient to think creatively to find their answer. Many of them contain internal paradoxes and so part of the creative process is figuring out the paradox and how it applies to your situation.

As Roger von Oech goes through each of the thirty selected epigrams he includes some of the ways that they can be interpreted, ways that they have been interpreted in the past, anecdotes, jokes, and riddles that illustrate the epigram and other ways of illuminating just how deep these pieces of wisdom are. Does he give a complete explanation of how they can be interpreted? No, because that is part of the design of these epigrams, they can be applied to different circumstances and product different but still correct answers. His illustrations are there to open your mind to the creative possibilities that lie hidden within just a few wise words.

Some of these I have heard in the past such as "You can't step into the same river twice". Others are less common but just as full of wisdom such as "On a circle, an end point can also be a beginning point". If you want a book that expands your creative mind and also shows you how to break out of old patterns of thinking in any situation, then this is the book for you. Well written and sure to point the reader to new directions of thinking, it is a highly recommended read.

"George Shrinks" is one of my favorite children's books of all time. It is the first book that William Joyce both wrote and illustrated--and what a grand debut!

A boy named George wakes up one morning to find that he is only three inches tall. He also finds a note from his parents with a list of chores he must do (which becomes Joyce's unique way of telling the story--the parent's note is the actual text of the book). The story follows George as he heroically navigates through the now gigantic house, evades the hungry house cat, and completes all his chores in very creative ways.

The illustrations, done in watercolors (though not pale and washy), are a mixture of highly realistic details (the house and surroundings), and a comic style (the characters). Included are several wordless full-page spreads of George flying a toy airplane which on their own are worth the price of the book.

If you can, buy the new large format of the book (November 2000 edition). The illustrations are much larger and the colors are more brilliant. The illustrations were probably rephotographed since the original edition is back from 1987 or so. (...) The newest version has a brand new cover illustration recently done by William Joyce.

Well, enjoy this book and happy shrinking!

"George Shrinks" is one of my favorite children's books of all time. It is the first book that William Joyce both wrote and illustrated--and what a grand debut!

A boy named George wakes up one morning to find that he is only three inches tall. He also finds a note from his parents with a list of chores he must do (which becomes Joyce's unique way of telling the story--the parent's note is the actual text of the book). The story follows George as he heroically navigates through the now gigantic house, evades the hungry house cat, and completes all his chores in very creative ways.

The illustrations, done in watercolors (though not pale and washy), are a mixture of highly realistic details (the house and surroundings), and a comic style (the characters). Included are several wordless full-page spreads of George flying a toy airplane which on their own are worth the price of the book.

If you can, buy the new large format of the book (November 2000 edition). The illustrations are much larger and the colors are more brilliant. The illustrations were probably rephotographed since the original edition is back from 1987 or so.
Well, enjoy this book and happy shrinking!

"One day, while his mother and father were out, George dreamt he was small, and when he woke up he found it was true." So begins this delightful picture book by
William Joyce, who will be most familiar to folks as the creator of Disney Channel's Rolie Polie Olie. George too has his own series now, on PBS, and a spanking new
reprint of his original adventure.

The story here is fairly basic : George, suddenly three inches small, follows the instructions his parents left behind in a note, to clean up the house and watch his little
brother (now a BIG little brother). Along the way he avoids an ornery house cat and rides in a toy plane. Our kids favorite page features George scrubbing dirty
dishes by skiing down them on a sponge.

As with Rolie Polie Olie though, the story is secondary to Mr. Joyce's remarkable artwork. In Olie he manages to combine Art Deco with Futurism; here it's all
throwback. George Shrinks looks like a really hip version of the Dick and Jane books. A story with a miniature hero kids can relate to and illustration interesting
enough to hold adult attention--what more can you ask?

GRADE : A

The concept of WOM (word of mouth) marketing has always been in the arsenal of any experienced marketer. Silverman gives an abundance of tips and examples to put the concepts to work, and how WOM can be deployed in both the offline and online world. For example: word of mouth is accelerated if you give customers "experiences" to talk about. Silverman believes that WOM can significantly shorten the buying cycle.
This book may be especially good for small business owners doing their own marketing--there are lots of ideas they may have not thought of. For more experienced marketers, this book is certainly worth a skim, but maybe not an end-to-end read.

WOW! I never knew that Word of Mouth Marketing could be turned into a powerful system for success. George Silverman gives you the real honest scoop. No double talk or theory here. There are concepts in this book that are truly revolutionary, like the decision acceleration strategy for increasing your sales. Absolutely brilliant!
I've read and re-read Word of Mouth Marketing and given it as a gift to many of my friends. In fact, my copy is full of highlighting, paper clips and post-it notes. It has become our company's business bible, and George Silverman is my guru. Word of Mouth Marketing has become my secret weapon in business.

George,

Your book was absolutely fantastic.

In the past 6 months I have read over 50 books on sales, marketing and advertising. None have really stood out to me and delivered the inspiration I was looking for to develop a successful marketing plan that is truly unique and special.

I started reading your book on Tuesday, today is Thursday and I have read it three times. It is hands down the best book on sales, marketing and advertising I have ever read.

We are working on our marketing plan now, and it is centered around the word of mouth tactics outlined in your book.

Thanks for the inspiration!

History is boring? Not if it's written by George MacDonald Fraser. India comes alive in a way most authors can only dream of, and you can taste the chapattis. I didn't think Fraser could top Flashman at the Charge, but he has done it. Read this book! Imagine a world without fiction, or worse, a world without Harry Flashman? No thanks, I'll keep them both.

This is a SEVEN-STAR BOOK! The quality of the writing, the incredible characterization, and the marvelous story-telling make this the best book I've read in the past seven or eight years. If you have not read any Flashman books, this will be an incredible treat, although one note: this book (and the whole series) is not for the intellectually limited. The smarter you are and the more knowledge you have, the more you'll love this magnificent fiction. No one writes this well, not Jim or Jamie Harrison, not Jane Smiley, not John Irving, not Joyce Carol Oates; no one tells the story better. Please read these books; they are masterpieces of fiction, and are actually somewhat important, especially as a question concering the value and morality of self-knowledge. Just magnificent.

This is my second favorite Flashman book, after (by a close margin) "Flashman and the Mountain of Light". History, plot, and characterization are superb, as are all the descriptive parts. As for the suspension of disbelief... I found nothing inconsistent in Flashman's recount of Moss Troopers torturing their captives. Exactly because he is utterly selfish, Flashman does not identify with Moss Troopers any more than with sepoys, or with anyone else for that matter. Also he derives sadistic pleasure out of exposing other people's baseness whenever he can - to justify his own, perhaps.

Only two things about Harry Flashman I found really hard to believe. One is his linguistic ability, which sometimes borders on supernatural (although in this book it is merely very good). In "Flashman and the Dragon" he becomes near-fluent in CHINESE in less than a month - his first tonal language, I might add, - and in "Flashman and the Redskins" he switches to thinking in Siouxan upon hearing it for the first time in 25 years. And the second thing which defies belief - how did a man in his nineties manage to write all these manuscripts in a few short years? His fingers should have fallen off!

George Anderson's books were a life saver for me and my family. After the unexpected death of my brother last year, these books helped us through the grieving process. The information offered so much hope and ultimately strengthened our spirituality. Joel Martin did such a wonderful job of proving George's credibility in George's first book, "We Don't Die", that we were compelled to read all his others. I highly reccommend these TREASURES to anyone who lost a loved one or who just needs to know more about life after life. I am eternally grateful to people like George Anderson. Not only has his gift helped so many people, but George's pure goodness shows through in his work. Because of George, I now know that my wonderful brother will live on forever, watching over us.

All the books by and about George Anderson are excellent and MUST READS for anyone experiencing the loss of a loved one. To be read with an open mind, - but in my case,(a former MAJOR skeptic) I literally began calling some of the people in the book and others that had met with him and was assured by ALL of them that the readings in the books were accurately reproduced. One suggestion - read "WE DON'T DIE" first, then "WE ARE NOT FORGOTTEN." "OUR CHILDREN FOREVER" is also excellent, and "LESSONS FROM THE LIGHT" is worth reading as well. Read the books & do your own research about George- he's been put to the test on TV (Donahue;Unsolved Mysteries/48 Hours) and they are worth having on tape.The readings in the books are very impressive, loaded with details he could not possibly have about strangers- it's easy to be skeptical and believe only what you can sense yourself. But George (who was close to death himself as a child)proves there is something MORE. And IF he were a "Con"- he wouldn't still be doing this at such high demand after 19 yrs. Read. Take comfort. Research it yourself. Speak to those who have spoken to him. "We are not Forgotten" includes the story of David Elliott's father's reading (he was also interviewed later on TV).This was a skeptical man who began his journey to George thru the "We Don't Die" book. THEY SAY ONLY DEATH & TAXES ARE CERTAIN. WRONG. Some people may cheat on their taxes, but none of us can cheat death.And until it affects us, we forget how many people are in pain everyday from grief.It doesn't end at the funeral, AND it does NOT end 2 weeks (or months) later either.Grief can last months, years, or a lifetime when you lose a loved one. If you have lost a loved one and are feeling the pain of the loss - read the books about George Anderson.They are worth reading AND re-reading!!! Open your mind and your heart. When you lose someone you love sometimes faith is not enough; proof is needed that your loved one is alright and George Anderson's books and readings help provide that. Excellent.

I first read "We Don't Die" several years ago after a close friend had passed away and a co-worker recommended I read George Anderson's story. I thought I knew how to grieve, as I had lost several family members and friends over the previous few years. I was overwhelmed. As soon as I finished the first book, I read "We Are Not Forgotten". His communications are truly healing, even for those who have not had the fortune of meeting with him. Reading his books reassure us that dying is not the end and that loved ones are not forever gone. And for those people who don't particularly enjoy reading, let them know that his books are very simple and extremely fast reading. This should not be missed.

The Charge of the Light Brigade on the 25th October 1854 was one of the three famous engagements that formed the Battle of Balaklava. The Charge, the most famous of all military blunders, was barely over before the process of transforming it into myth began. Accusations, counter-accusations, legal actions and patriotic poetry created more obscuring smoke and dust than the infamous Russian guns. Cecil Woodham Smith traces the careers of two of the major players: Lords Lucan and Cardigan, the brothers-in-law from hell, whose vanity, arrogance and (at least in the case of Cardigan) incompetence, inexperience and crass stupidity, contributed to the fatal Charge. Almost 40 years of peace, and the reactionary influence of the Duke of Wellington, had left the British army in a parlous state of unreadiness and bureaucratic confusion when the call came to defend Turkey against the Russians. The choice of the aged, gentle, inexperienced and unassertive Raglan, as leader of the expeditionary army, only made a bad situation worse. (For a rather more sympathetic portrayal of Raglan, as victim of an inefficient military system, criminally disorganised commissariat and unreasonable government, see "The Destruction of Lord Raglan" by Christopher Hibbert.) A more recent study, "The Charge" by Mark Adkin, provides a detailed and well-illustrated account of the events leading to the Charge of the Light Brigade. Adkin challenges traditional views , including parts of Cecil Woodham Smith's account. Particular attention is given to the role played by Captain Nolan (the messenger). Adkin suggests that Nolan may have deliberately misled Lucan and Cardigan as to Raglan's real intention. Whatever the truth, which is of course unknowable, "The Reason Why" is a genuine classic and an excellent introduction to a fascinating subject.

Woodham-Smith presents, in minute detail, the wages of placing social rank over experience, and even competence. British military history follows a disturbing trend. War starts, Brits get trounced upon, influx of fresh talent and new ideas comes (along with, sometimes, timely intercession by allies), British return to triumph. Woodham-Smith attributes this pattern to the notion in the higher ranks of the army (a notion espoused by the Duke of Wellington himself, pip pip!), that nobility ensures, if not competence, at least loyalty.

The price of this notion, is, of course, massive death, but because the massive death does not happen to the nobility, nobody important really minds. This is one reason the Charge of the Light Brigade, with which _the Reason Why_ primarily deals, was so different, and worthy of eulogizing in prose and song (Alfred, Lord Tennyson, by the way, appears absolutely nowhere in this text)--those dying, those paying the price for the Army's obsession with aristocracy, were aristocrats themselves.

Woodham-Smith manages to trace the careers of two utterly unsympathetic characters--Cardigan and Lucan--in a fascinating manner. This is no small feat, considering the reader will probably want, by the end of _the Reason Why_ to reach back in time and shake both of them, and maybe smack them around a bit.

Again, Cecil Woodham-Smith proves herself a master of the historian's craft, and produces a well-researched, thorough and driving account of what is probably the stupidest incident in modern military history.

The Crimean War changed so much about how war is waged--the treatment of prisoners and wounded being tops on the list of reforms brought about in the wake of the debacle. _The Reason Why_ is an excellent account, and should be required reading for anybody with even a remote interest in military history, or European history in general.

The Reason Why remains the classic study of the intriguing and sadly ludicrous episode in military history known as the Charge of the Light Brigade. The author, coming from an Army family and relying heavily on the writings of officers, largely neglects the experience of the private soldier and concentrates on the main characters in the drama. The story is dominated by these extraordinary personalities, serving as a reminder that war is an inherently human drama. On a second level, it is a criticism of the privilege system of the British Army of the mid-nineteenth century. In retrospect, one is hard pressed to believe such a purchase system could have ever won a victory at Waterloo. Intolerant aristocrats with no experience in battle, paltry leadership skills, and maddening unconcern for the soldiers under their command, bought their commissions. The Charge of the Light Brigade illuminated all of the faults of the system and proved that bravery alone was insufficient for victory. While human blunders led to the debacle that was the Charge of the Light Brigade, the British military system was intrinsically to blame.

The heart of this book concerns the relationship between society at large and the military. Military leaders feared nothing so much as public scrutiny, for widespread discontent could lead to political interference and, indeed, political control of the army. Whether in dealing with the incorrigible personalities of Lords Lucan and Cardigan or in covering up the series of blunders that resulted in the sacrificial ride of the Light Brigade, the military leadership acted with the overriding principle of preserving the Army from governmental control.

The embarrassments of the Crimean campaign proved uncontainable. A great source of difficulty was the incompetence of the Army staff; rank and privilege were held to be superior to actual experience. When these difficulties led to humiliation and defeat, the commanders' concern was not with the men they had lost nor the future of the war effort; to the exclusion of these, their main concern was that bad publicity would appear in Britain, that the public would hear of the lack of success, that the House would begin to ask questions of the military leadership, that the press would begin to criticize the Army. This great fear of political interference was realized in the aftermath of the Crimean War. The author portrays this as the one positive effect engendered by the War effort. A new era of military reform was born in Britain, Europe, and America. Experience now became a prerequisite for command, and officers were trained in staff colleges. The author's final point is that, above all, the treatment of the private soldier changed as the military system was humanized to some degree. Her assertion that at the end of the Crimean War the private soldier was regarded as a hero seems rather bold, but it is clear that he was no longer seen as a nonhuman tool of his commanders' designs.

For more than 30 years this superb book has been the basic text for tens of thousands of rocket scientists, astronauts, engineers, and amateur scientists alike. It is universally recognized as the "Bible" of rocket propulsion theory and practice, and remains the fundamental and basic text for everyone seriously engaged in this complex field of research and development.

Sutton's book should be the very first purchased for anyone who wants to learn and understand the ins and outs of both solid and liquid-fuel rocket propulsion. No other book even comes close.

It is always a pleasure to find a comprehensive overview of a field that can be understood by a non-specialist. I cannot testify as to how useful Rocket Propulsion Elements would be to an aerospace engineer, but for a technically inclined amateur like me it is a wonderful book. One of the things I like best about it is that it mixes theory with practical examples. It give a clear idea not only of the principles of rocket propulsion ,but also of the current state of the art. I was expecting this for the field of chemical rocketry, but I was delighted to find explanations of more obscure technologies, such as electric rocket of various types. I only wish that there were books this good in every field.

This is the best book on rocket propulsion that I have seen. The reading is smooth and the jargon is kept to a simple amount to understand with out being a rocket scientist. Diagrams and charts are excellent in explaining what the author is talking about. Author keeps it simple for all!!

A well-chosen set of essays is compiled, based on a 4-level framework: i)Analyze the competitive environment, ii)Anticipate competitor's actions & reactions, iii) Formulate Dynamic Strategies, iv) Choose among alternative strategies. The book provides a great way to update one's strategy knowledge.
But I find 'Mastering Strategy: The Complete MBA Companion in Strategy' by Financial Times Editors to be a better book with greater depth and broader spectrum.

This book is wonderful. Unlike many business books which take one very simple concept and drive it into the ground over 400 pages, Wharton on Dynamic Competitive Strategy has several (17) discrete topics which are interlinked through common themes. Need to understand applications of game theory to strategy formulation? Want to understand how to structure scenario analysis for a working session with a group of business unit directors? This book will help you understand some very academic concepts with very real, material impact when used properly.

This is also a great book for MBA students who want to understand a topic before taking to a whole class.

One final point, the caliber of the authors is incredible. Each author is writing about his/her specific areas of expertise, and the topics are extremely timely.

These are my opinions alone and not necessarily those of my employer.

The competitive challenges facing managers are more complex and fast-moving than ever. This environment demands dynamic competitive strategies-strategies that anticipate and adjust to competitors' countermoves, shifting customer demands, and changes in the business world.

The Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania is the oldest business school in America and one of the most revered institutions of business study in the world. Wharton on Dynamic Competitive Strategy offers new perspectives on competitive strategy from a distinguished group of faculty at Wharton and other leading business schools around the world. This book presents the best insights from decades of research in key areas such as competitive strategy, simulations, game theory, scenario planning, public policy, and market-driven strategy. It represents the most cohesive collection of insights on strategy ever assembled by a leading school of business.

Developed for the thinking manager, Wharton on Dynamic Competitive Strategy provides deep insights into the true dynamics of competition. In contrast to popular, quick-fix formulas for strategic success, this book provides perspectives that will help you better understand the underlying dynamics of competitive interactions and make better strategic decisions in a rapidly changing and uncertain world.

The insights and approaches presented here are illustrated with real-world examples which demonstrate how these approaches can be applied to your strategic challenges.

This groundbreaking new book will change your view of strategy and give you the tools you need to succeed in a dynamic and intensely challenging world.

Reviewed by Azlan Adnan. Azlan is Managing Partner of Azlan & Koh Knowledge and Professional Management Group, an education and management consulting practice based in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysian Borneo. Azlan has a MA in International Business and Management from the University of Westminster.

I originally read this book in undergraduate school as Political Science major, and had to go back and find a copy because of the profound affect it had on my psyche. George Washington Plunkitt was a "stereotypical" politician. You know, the one who says what he needs to say to get elected; but once there does what's necessary for his party.

Comparing his comments to the actions of present day politicians, I don't think there are many differences. Everyone does a little grafting and civil servants are still "civil servants." Understood?

As with any politician, Plunkitt "seen (his) opportunities and (he) took 'em." This is a must for anyone interested in any realm of politics.

Plunkitt was a king in a world that needed benevolent despots. In a place like turn of the century of New York before Keynesian economics and the Welfare State, Tammany was the only relief the poor knew. Plunkitt reveals with refreshing honesty the seemingly rough and coarse manner with which one needed to play the game of politics in his town. However, one must look at it in context. This was a different time from our own, and the reader must imagine whether a person of Plunkitt's demeanor can last in the information age political world. Then again, the book also illustrates how many of the problems Tammany had still exist today.

I first read this highly informative, often hilarious book for Intro to Political Science back in college. In this short tome are pearls of wisdom about politics and human nature still relevant 100 years later. Plunkitt, high atop his regular boot-black stand in NYC, declaims to his biographer, Riordan, a life spent in the political machine known as Tammany Hall, with such disarming honesty that is nearly non-existent today. Plunkitt's diatribes on "honest graft vs. dishonest graft," "Brooklynites Natural-Born Hayseeds," and the evils of civil service exams are outright hilarious. I highly recommend this book to anyone with even a passing interest in politics.