it is very good, but does nt wor

I was getting reference info for this book when I noticed someone gave it a bad review. Who are you? And what's wrong? (Ironic question, I know.) This is an excellent book-the books not magical, it's not a medicine to "work" or not. It's a wonderful framework for understanding human interaction in a completely different light then the everyday one we grow up with. Great tools. Interesting exercises. A well-sized book and not a single extra word! I suggest this for anyone interested in NLP and wants to learn the models.

This book will enable the reader to study the basic principles found in most NLP introductory courses. The information is easily understood and accessible.

I enjoy the general concept of Systems Thinking, however I found this text to be an overly superfical coverage of the topic. Additionally the book seemed unecessarily tainted by the author's political/religious views and the subtle underpinnings of some quasi-new age culture that seeks to rebel for no particular reason.

In the end, I threw the book out after reading about 3/4 of the way through. (Maybe not the fairest treatment of the work, but I can't stand to have my time wasted.) I recommend those who are looking to learn more about System Thinking find something that treats the topic more seriously.

-Steven

Overall this is a good effort and a decent introduction to the subject, but it leaves something to be desired in terms of depth. Some of the answers to the excercises are incorrect, so instead of claryfing the concepts they leave the reader confused. I found the notation for the diagrams somewhat simplistic: ok to get an overall idea, confusing if carefully analyzed. For someone who doesn't know anything about systems theory I would recommend this book, but I would also recommend following up with other, less superficial ones.

This is the book that made me wriet a review after 5 months of not having anyting on Amazon. How so? Let we think in this way. What is the "news"? News is a story of "bad" or "good". In this case, this is a very good, a good book.
O'Connor and McDermott comprehensively compile the story of "Systems Thinking" in a story-teller format. I trust you realize the important of "system" or "thinking" since you are reading my review. For any other "system" book, you might be afraid of highly mathematics or several jagons. Many times you may see the books on "systems" are more too much on "technical aspect". For readers in "thinking" books, you might experience the chaotic writing or too much philosophy (than practice). For those who are interested in "Systems Thinking", you might already experience highly differential equation that you already returned to your teachers.
So what O'Connor and McDermott did on this small book? They tell us a story of "System" and "System Thinking". Several examples are presented in different fields, mostly on daily life; making this book more readable. While O'Connor and McDermott tell us a "Systems Thinking" story, the "content" of "Systems Thinking" is not lessen. All technical terms that you fear from "Systems Dynamics" are delineated in human-readable-words. For example, instead of the author tell us about the derivative of y with respect to x, the authors use the word "flow" and describe it facing the word "level".
Each main section are very enjoyable to read, with summary. I personally like Chapter 2 the most. Chapter 2 shows me the different way to think about diferential equation application to the world. The last part of this book is the history and reference in Systems Thinking, which I strongly recommend any one to read it.
Personally, I recommend this book for every one interested in "Systems", "Thinking" and "Systems Thinking". Although you are a serious mathematician, you may want to discover the new perspective to the world. This can be the first book for novice Systems Thinker as well as companion book for serious Systems Thinker.

All in all I have to say I found this book a little bit disappointing. It felt like I was merely re-reading ideas I've seen countless times before, presented in a way, that made them look new. If you're new to NLP and want to see some appications of NLP to business it might be worthwhile, but there are much better NLP sales books out there.

As you can read on the cover, this book translates NLP-concepts in a language directed to persons who need to do some selling. If you have some NLP training and some sales experience, this book won't teach you many new things. If you don't have both, or you are looking how to apply NLP skills is a sales context, this book can give you some directions. Part 4 ("Sales management") some stuff that does not directly relate to sales itself, but it is useful if you are a salesperson, or if you want to be come one. (extracted from my website: www.7EQ.com/books )

This ensemble tale by 15 writers is quite good for the continuity of the tale it manages to maintain, and I would suggest this is a testament to the skill with which some of these authors write. The continuity of skill is not as unerringly high and this is partly because they tried to force certain marquee names in to bits of writing they have not shared with the public in the past, and in at least one author's case, it is good that he has not.

No one does a better job than Roddy Doyle who opens this 15 chapter book and sets a high water mark that the balance of fourteen must either match, approach or miss miserably. Having this particular writer lead off, in hindsight, may have been an error, for the best the reader could hope for was that others would keep up, or keep quite close. And when they did not the chapters are jarringly poor.

The book is worth the read not because the story is unique and clever, it is neither. The story is one you have read variations on before, and as it progresses it runs out of the cleverness it does manage, and only barely at times, and consistently and without pause begins a slow slide to the end. The irony is that the end of the tale, which can be most charitably described as not only raunchy, but just plain poor in its execution, was done by an author that probably had the least claim to be here. Frank McCourt wrote his original memoir that has a firm spot in literary history, its sequel was a shadow of the original, and this chapter numbered 15 will hopefully soon be forgotten. It is true he has sold a mountain of books, but doing it many times is a feat he has yet to prove. Playing anchor, batting clean up, was not the appropriate spot for him here.

A good tale requires more than a pair of marquee names as bookends; it requires two solid sides, not one. The best rationale for reading this book is for the gems of writers you will find in between the two men I have named. This is a case where the whole is much less than the sum of its parts, an interesting exercise, but one not tightly controlled or edited. So enjoy the quality and discard the balance, what is left is much shorter than the 15 chapters but you are sure to find several new authors you will follow with great satisfaction.

Yeats Is Dead! is the collaboration of 15 Irish writers all contributing a chapter to what must be one of the strangest mysteries ever (if you can call it a mystery). Wherever outcomes would seem predictable, the next writer reverses the tide of the story. Chapter 2 mentions none of the characters that Chapter 1 does, for example, and whenever a character is being built up they seem to be killed off by the next writer. One point where its a ridiculous turnaround is chapter 11-12. Chapter 11 ends:

"Paschal Greer was all out of options. So he did what he should have done many weeks ago. He stepped, forwards, took Grainne O'Kelly in his arms and kissed her. Now there was no more need for words."

And Chapter 12 reverses it totally:

"Well, now. Flip it now. That's just the last straw, thought Sergeant Greer as Inspector O'Kelly punched him bang in the kisser just as he was about to slip the tongue in."

The book is full of mirth and its set-up allows to make what would otherwise be a less good book into a great one. 4 stars.

Fifteen Irish writers take their turn (one chapter each) at ratcheting up the silliness while developing a story centered on the discovery of James Joyce's final unpublished work. Organized crime, organized crime fighters, and Irish society in general take on a generous helping of ribbing while each author does his or her best to out do the previous. What is funny is how many of the authors take what was written before and then throw in a bizarre twist. Or just simply kill off a character nurtured and developed by a previous writer. One poor soul about halfway through makes some attempt at stabilizing the story, only to be completely blown out of the water by the next. And yet at the same time, a couple of gags presented near the beginning of the book find their way into every chapter up to the end.

All in all it is a very fun collection of work, and edifying as well in the sense that the reader may find a new author or two to try out after putting this one down. Because of the nature of this type of work, naturally the writing styles and quality vary greatly from one chapter to the next. This fact in itself will disturb the reader that attempts to take the novel too seriously. Although why this feat is even attempted when you are reading about a ginger haired young Irishman who likes to speak in American ghetto slang is beyond me.

John Cardinal O'Connor was undoubtedly a man of conviction. He was a colorful poltical heavyweight; a significant player in worldwide Roman Catholic politics and in American affairs in general. Sadly, while O'Connor might be commended for his loyalty, he is not a man who should be exalted as one of the great spiritual leaders of the 20th century.

John O'Connor could have been great! He could have been. Instead he chose a different path - favored son in a "family" (in this case an institution) out of touch with the world.

He could have dared to speak up for those who were marginalized.He could have told the poor faithful people of his church that he understood their need to practice birth control. He could have advanced the recognition of women as full and complete members of the church. He could have recognized that so many American Catholics felt out of touch with the message of their Church. While he visited dying gay men and opened places where they cold die with dignity, he continued to deny their legitimate place on the earth.

Perhaps the greatest lost opportunity was the fact that John O'Connor could have changed the Church -- but didn't!

I finish this book sadly feeling that here was a man who had the forum to do great things but sadly chose not to. It is the sadness of "the could have ... but didn't".

A Man of Conviction is small book which poorly conceived and dully written. If this book is some effort to advance O'Connor's spiritual legacy in the hope that he will yet again be promoted, perhaps to Sainthood, it is a bad start.

John O'Connor,late Cardinal Archbishop of New York, was a large figure on the political and religious landscape for almost 17 years. One time Hawkish military chaplain{his pro military stances influenced many of the documents that came out of the bishops conferences],he became bishop of scranton, Pa.,then very quickly{I mean real quickly} Archbishop of the largest archdiocese in North America. He sparred with polticians early{Publicly berating democats Mario cuomo and Geraldine ferraro for their pro-choice stands}though not republicans{though he did criticise R Guliani 's policies as viscious against the poor}, so often putting his foot in his mouth that all three of the major dailies began putting reporters at the Sunday 10 am mass. This collection, has nomne of that. O'connor was a vociferous supporter of the state of Israel, and is warmly remembered as such. He was also an avowed opponenet of homsexuality, and some of his worst moments came in trying to defend his position. He was also a man of great generosity, refusing to close any schools{no matter how poor they were]. begging, literally, begging some of the moneybags catholics{Simon, Grace, et,al. } for donations.He opened doors of catholic hospitals to aids patients{while condeming thier lifestyle. }In short, a man of immense contradictions, who died a slow, painful public death, and did so with great dignity, and without some of the macabre operatic flourishes of so public a demise. The best of these remembrances come from ordianry folks,not the politicians nor clergy{what on earth do youthink a priest of another bishop would say about him? Now if they gave archbishop rembert weakland of Milwaukee a free hand to discuss OConnors lack of support for him with this problems with rome, that would have been interesting]. In all, a well done,though curiosly unsatisfying collection, too much warm fuzziness, not enough exploration.For those who admired him,a very good book. see also Nat Hentoff's ear;lier Biography{also very flattering] for more sources. A loyal soldier of the church.

I am admittedly a very devoted friend of the late Cardinal. I miss him greatly as a former regular Mass-goer at St. Patrick's Cathedral in the late 90's. I miss him still more as my old guardian angel who did more than one favor for a skinny little kid from Brooklyn, without recompense. Nor did he seek it, except for my soul, and the hope that I would always love Jesus. So if you ever admired this man, his honesty, his frankness, his gift for trying his best in every circumstance, even if you did not agree with everything he said, you will indeed like this book. He was, as his friends reminisce, a mensch. You will hear his words, recognise his wit, recall his stature. I miss him too much, this man who fought tooth and nail, for whatever he thought was truly important for the well being of body and soul of his flock. But then, anyone in New York, or anyone in his line of sight was his flock. Oh, I miss him, and I am glad to hear from him again. Requiescat in pace.

I thought this book would have more information on how to use NLP for enhancing leadership qualities. Most of what I found was just practical tips on what makes a leader and different leadership styles.

The questions posed throughout the chapters mostly ask you to think of qualities you like in different leaders and why you consider that person a leader.

If you're looking for pure NLP tips, I would suggest the book "NLP at Work". Otherwise, I would suggest skipping this book, unless you are unsure of "what makes a good leader".

I bought the cassette version of this book and found it very light in NLP content - almost none at all. I did not get a lot out of this book.

The author applies his lucid thinking and writing, evident in his popular Introducing NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), to leadership in this book. He considers leadership as a journey and I like his analogy of a flock of birds. There is no one leader issuing orders all the time. Yet there is a larger intelligence that keeps the group together in very fluid formation. "The more the individuals use their own intelligence to the full for themselves, the smarter the group becomes." p.xi. O'Connor uses not only NLP, but also systems and complexity thinking in a very integrated way without technical jargons. You are invited to join this journey of growth as a leader. Start with reflections on your own goals and vision. The questions and exercises, "thought experiments"... throughout the book are excellent maps for readers to explore their own mind and values. Basic distinctions between leadership and authority, managing and leading, Roman law and common law, leaders or winners and losers' mentality, the use of values in contrast to extrinsic rewards in motivation... are illuminating. We are also helped to have a good understanding of trust and values, beliefs and assumptions. The extention of NLP's perceptual positions of self, other and objective view into a fourth perspective of context of a wider system and a fifth perspective of change through time shows the richness of systems thinking. Overall, this is an execllent guide for those willing to embark on this transforming journey and work through the exercises in acquiring both understanding and skills as a leader.

Joseph O'Connor is the brother of Sinead O'Connor the Irish singer / songwriter (Lion and Cobra), but is an artist in his own right. His fiction is wild and hilarious and well worth a read. Before he went into fiction he was a newspaper columnist in London and Dublin and this is a collection of interviews and articles edited into book form. As a result they cover a lot of ground and a lot of issues, with some being a little out of date at this stage. However it makes a good book for picking up and reading a couple of pages and putting down again - what some people refer to as toilet reading. The highlight is coverage he did when the Irish played in the Soccer World Cup in USA when he follows a group of inebriated fans through the Disney experience in Florida. Cross cultural limits are exposed as he explores the difference in meaning of the words ride and mickey between Ireland and the USA. Another memorable tale is the Irish beggar in London who is pretending to be a Bosnian -everyone needs an edge these days!

A new book by two leading writers on NLP (Neuro-linguistic Programming)! I ordered multiple copies right away, expecting some new, lucid and creative update in the field. It turned out to be a very watered-down and basic introduction. It belongs to the publisher's new series of "First Directions - an inspirational source of information, insights and practical techniques to change your life". It is printed on quality paper with many colorful and scenic pictures unrelated to the content. The actual text does include many key NLP concepts clearly explained. Rather dry and not that inspirational. Joseph's story of his own everyday trance is touching (p. 76). But probably the authors must have been hampered by a strict limitation of space.

If you are a great enthusiast of NLP and stuck for ideas for a gift, this book could serve the purpose for friends who don't read much. Otherwise there are many better introductions.

This book is good for anyone interested in or perplexed by the different ways the underwriting works in financial sector. It explains the various factors, variables and techniques used and considered while deciding the quotes/premiums on various financial instruments.

I completely agree with Erickson's review. I have just finished two semesters using this book. I can't say enough bad things about it. If you get suckered into a course that uses this book I recommend that you immediately go out and buy/use the following:
1. Shaum's Italian Grammar
2. 501 Italian Verbs
3. Italian Verbs and Essentials of Grammar
4. English Grammar for Students of Italian

Anyone that gives this Oggi in Italia a good review must be on the payroll of the publisher/author.

This text is a soupy mixture of chunks of material. It follows the annoying trend in language books toward using words and grammatical concepts in exercises before they are introduced and explained. It also still has a number of typos even after several editions. More serious problems are the flat out grammatical usage errors that emerge in the later chapters. The whole subject of accent marks is poorly addressed nor are the verbs (-rre verbs), that contradict the statement that only three endings are possible, ever explained. I also object to the practise of frequently issuing new editions which are superficially modified to sell new books but do not correct or improve the text in any meaningful manner. Teachers please pass on using this textbook!

I have been using this book as a part of a series of beginning to intermediate level Italian. While the book does an adequate job in some areas, it leaves a lot to be desired. For example, the glossary doesn't contain many of the words used in the book. There are exercise which use words that have not been learned and which are not in the dictionary. The vocabulary in each chapter is somewhat arranged by topic, but is incomplete and confusing. The book is designed to follow as a sort of episodic course, but it is a horrible reference book, and concepts like verb tenses are separated by pages and sometimes over several chapters.

It is unfortunate that this seems to be the seminal textbook for Italian. It does the job, but surely there must be something better out there.