"Lean Advertising" purports that the agency organizational structure of yesterday - and still, today - creates rigid thinking, expensive heirarchies, and barriers instead of breakthroughs. The authors' writing never gets bogged down or dry; important points are made swiftly through classic examples everyone can recognize. We're now using the book as a primer to help explain our agency's own value system. Book is highly recommended to both young people, who you want to have an understanding of the history of the agency business and why it is the way it is now, to seasoned execs who want to challenge some of the most institutionalized ways of doing things in the agency business. Fabulous business book for marketing folks. Can be digested in six hours or less.

Prof. Marty's book is a profound synthesis of the essential problem of America: how to unite our diverging cultures and interests into something common to all. Marty gives respect to the varied 'stories' that he speaks of and encourages us all to listen more to each of them. While I agree that listening is a good start, do not expect more tangible answers from The One and the Many. Such is the nature of the problem and this book. Overall, an excellent effort by an established scholar.