I bought the book because I needed to startup a software engineering group within our established PS organization. The book provided very good insight in how a PS organization should run within a Product Company. It provide good food for thought in understanding the difference between a standalone PS organization and one attached to a Product Company. The content opened some eyes within our organization and reset some expectations. The book also validated some of the processes and focus of the existing PS organization. If you are starting up a PS organization from the ground up I recommend this book. If you have a PS organization already in place, within a product company, I also recommend this book to validate your current focus.

This book can be a key for entire IT organizations whose goals and objectives are to shift the rules from failure to victory. With carefully expressed views and guidelines this book will simulate return on investment and continuous profit. I will recommend this book to every organization that ambitious to achieve their goals and who have a desire to claim the ladder to sucess.

This is a book that fills a sorely needed gap in the computer consulting industry, and is especially valuable for start-up consulting companies, established companies that want to achieve higher profitability, and for internal IT organizations that are seeking a way to move from a cost center to a profit center.

Regardless of your goals or motivations, the first two chapters helps you to clarify your objectives, decide on the appropriate business model and mission statement, and introduces key concepts that will be used throughout the book. One of the most effective techniques in this section of the book is the way the authors lead you through framing your mission and goals and employing a service alignment risk factor to test the clarity of your mission and how it aligns to other business processes. This is especially important if technical services is not your core business.

Chapters 3 and 4 are, in my opinion, the heart of the book because they address revenue and profitability, and organizational structure - two areas with which many companies struggle. The information in these chapters will show you what you need to do to become and remain profitable, as well as how to best organize your resources to deliver in accordance with your chosen business model. For start-ups Chapter 3 provides an excellent framework for business plan pro formas. Chapter 5, Selling, thoroughly covers the critical success factors and metrics for selling services.

In chapters 6 through 8 services delivery, productizing and promotion are given the same thorough and insightful treatment. Of particular value is the customer engagement workflow that is provided in Chapter 11, and the four phases of professional services given in chapter 12. The phases provide a path by establishing basic implementation services as a service offering, then building upon these to provide integration services, consulting services and productized services - each phase represents an increase in what you offer customers (external or internal). For each of the phases the authors address the following factors: value proposition, profitability triangle focus, critical skills, required operational infrastructure, target mix, revenue growth rate, target gross margin and target operating profit.

I like the way that these (and all of the chapters) end with sample budgets and issues to watch, and the key financial models provided in Appendix D.

While this book is, in my opinion, the best starting point for anyone who is involved in establishing and managing technical services or starting a consulting company, "PSA: Professional Services Automation" by Rudolf Melik, et al is the second book you should read. That book complements this one, and also covers automating the professional services organization after it has been established.

Charles Calhoun's MAINE is a departure from most travel guides. Rather than just pages and pages of lists of motels, restaurants, and things to see, Calhoun focuses on the state's people (past and present), natural history, and state-of-mind. Instead of simply an address and phone number for the famous L. L. Bean's (outdoor outfitters, for example, Calhoun gives us several pages, including the story of the founder of the company.

The book opens with a chapter entitled "Learning Maine" and is organized geographically into nine main sections which cover the entire state. The final chapter, "Practical Information" gives all the usual, plus "A Dozen Fun Places to Eat" and antiquarian booksellers. Scattered throughout the book are literary excerpts and topical essays by authors such as May Sarton, John McPhee, and Longfellow. There are maps, reproductions of period art, and plenty of gorgeous color photos. Whether the reader is planning a trip to Maine or merely wishes an intriguing armchair journey, this guide is a must.

Kimberly Borrowdale, Under the Covers Book Reviews

An excellent book to take along with you during your travels to Maine. The photos in this book are simply beautiful! The photographer, Thomas Mark Szelog actually lives in the lighthouse on the cover!! I was lucky enough to meet him and he was kind enough to show me some of his photgraphs. Absolutely beautiful work. This is a great book and I highly recommend it when you travel down east!

You know I often try and find some things I can call my own (ironically though as they are others' works). This book is one of the few. I especially enjoy the work of Babiasz (sp?) in that his poetry really seems to come from a place that is dark and real, while maintaining an almost harsh acceptance of life. My favorite in particular is called "The Pretender", which (I assume) is the tale of a love who is merely in the relationship for something else. Babiasz's word choice and vivid imagery most certainly highlights the anguish and torment that capture the tormet perfectly. I honestly recoomend this book and I hope it actually leaves this state.

Everyone has heard of this trial. However, until I heard this rendition of the trial and play I wasn't as interested. This play sheds new light on it and makes it so much more interesting and actually brought it to life for me.

This is it, folks -- the point at which classical and modern liberalism began to diverge. Everybody in either camp is indebted, in one way or another, to the great Thomas Hill Green. And sooner or later, everybody in either camp will have to come to terms with him.

Now, in my own not entirely humble opinion, Green's criticisms of other liberal theorists are well-founded and he himself has gotten the philosophical foundations just about exactly right. Basically, his claim is that (my paraphrase) the source of our rights against one another, as well as the source of the state itself, is our possession of an ideal common end in which the well-being of each of us is coherently included.

He develops this account very painstakingly, and one of the joys of reading it is watching him make sense of Rousseau's tortured notion of the "general will." By the time Green is through rescuing this doctrine from Rousseau, it becomes something altogether respectable: that (my paraphrase again) there is an overarching ideal end at which our actions aim, and it is that end which we _would_ have if all of our present aims were thoroughly modified and informed by reflective reason.

I say "_would_ have" with some reservations, since for Green (as for Bosanquet and Blanshard, who followed him here) there is a clear sense in which we _really_ have this ideal end. But this point takes us afield into Green's metaphysics, which are better covered in his _Prolegomena to Ethics_.

As I said, this volume marks the watershed between classical and modern liberalism. Green is often associated with the "modern" side of the divide, but today's reader will be surprised to see just how "classical liberal" Green was (in, e.g., his opposition to paternalistic government and in a good many other respects). Why, heck, there are passages that could have been lifted from David Conway's _Classical Liberalism: The Unvanquished Ideal_.

It does seem, though, that in allowing a positive role for the governmental institutions of a geographically-demarcated State, he has started down the slippery slope to the modern welfare-warfare state. Like Hegel before him and like Bosanquet after him, Green usually means by "state," not the bureaucratic machinery of a territorial government, but the whole of society including _all_ of its "institutions of governance." But -- also like Hegel and Bosanquet -- he does not always keep these two things firmly distinguished, and at times he is clearly thinking specifically of the governmental institutions of a territorial nation-state rather than what some of us would call the "market."

He is also a bit unclear on the ground of "rights." W.D. Ross rightly takes him to task for this in _The Right and the Good_: Green writes on one page that we have _no_ rights until these are recognized by society, and then turns around and writes as though "society" is recognizing rights we _already_ have. To my mind Ross clearly has the better of the argument here, though the problem is not, I think, terribly hard to fix.

On the whole, then, it is probably no wonder that Green and his crowd set into motion -- whether inadvertently or otherwise -- a stream of "liberalism" that would eventually find a far, far larger role for the State than any that Green himself would have approved. But to my mind, these difficulties are removable excrescences, not the heart of his theory. (And it is also worth bearing in mind that Green provides moral grounds for _resisting_ the State: he acknowledges that no actual State is really ideal and, insofar as it falls short of the ideal, should be brought firmly into the service of our common end.)

The theory itself seems to me to be sound. In fact, despite the aforementioned disagreements and several others, I would nominate this volume as perhaps _the_ single greatest work on liberal political theory.

Again, at some point every "liberal" of any stripe will have to come to terms with Green's ideas (perhaps in highly mutated form). And if, with minor tweezing, Green's basic outlook is sound, it also -- suitably adjusted -- forms the proper basis for the classical-liberal commonwealth.

It therefore behooves classical liberals and libertarians to get the word directly from Green himself. Those other "liberals" aren't _entirely_ wrong.

Yes, the author does let us see into himself, but does not deign to "interpret" the men and women who inhabit these pages. Old, old age is a stage of life who's voice we all need to heed. Hints at the kind of life lived "being" rather than "doing" can lead us all to a kind of "spirit" long held "other" and thus leaving us deprived of the balance of long life's wisdom.

This book is a gift.

This out-of-print book is the best of self-help books, making transactional analysis accessible to the lay reader. Because of the TA jargon, many people missed it's wonderful explanations of how and why we behave in the ways we do, and how to change. TA offers a wellness model, not an illness model, and Amy Bjork Harris outlines for us HOW to use the underlying principles of it to effect immediate changes and live an "I'm OK You're OK" life. There is no need for anyone to be remain "stuck" or in bad relationships with this book as a guide for his or her life! I'm torn between buying every used copy available to give for gifts, and leaving some for others to serendipitously discover this jewel!

After 2 years in Denmark this book still managed to provide insights into the Danes. I find myself quoting it when trying to discribe Denmark to others ... and even gave it to my Danish boyfriend to give him perspectives on what others see as 'Danish'. His constant 'you mean other people dont do that' where only interupted by his laughter.

What is more it has been used as a textbook in a Danish Business School's cultural understanding classes (not my classes :-) and the Danish AIESEC (the worlds largest student organisation) offers this series to all the students participating in their international traineeship exchange programme - both those arriving in Denmark and those traveling to a 'Xenophobe' country.. what more recomendation do you need...

I read the book, "The Silence of the Lambs", written by Thomas Harris. On a scale from 1 to 5 (with five being the highest) I give it a 5. The Silence of the lambs is a fast paced book, which makes it hard to put down. There is never a dull moment, due to the excellent writing of Thomas Harris. The characters Hannibal Lector and Clarice Starling are each unique, and the psychological aspects of this book are outstanding. "Well, Clarice, have the lambs stopped screaming?" (Harris p.366). Harris' amazing use of words and interaction between characters makes this book "spine-tingling" and "master of suspense," claims the Boston Herald. In this book you can follow Clarice Starling, a trainee of behavioral science unit of the F.B.I as she tries to find a deadly serial killer on the loose. During the investigation we discover that Starling has a number of frailties in character. A strong-willed woman coming from a "low class" upbringing, Starling fears that her peers will associate her abilities with her background. She dreads the idea that others would not allow themselves to see past her upbringing towards her unique ability to succeed. While tracking the killer, she begins to learn the psychological games of the one and only Dr.Hannibal Lector, who is locked away in a dark prison chamber. If you are into suspenseful, scary, mystery-horror books, then "The Silence of the Lambs" is definitely a book that you should check out. If you liked Hannibal by Thomas Harris or "Felony Murder" by Joseph T. Klempher, you will love this book.

After seeing the movie some time ago, I was really curious to read the book and see how it was. I am so glad that I read it, because I think it's a work of art. Thomas Harris has created a masterpiece of a frightening tale that will send shivers down your spine and keep you up at night. You will never forget the name, "Hannibal Lecter," no matter how hard you try.

Here is the story: Clarice Starling is a young and promising FBI trainee who is a lot more clever than she leads others to believe. She is sent to talk to Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter. This evil fiend is so frightening and brilliant that it will scare the hell out of you. He loves to play mind games and get into the heads of others. He has an agenda of his own, and claims that he can help Starling become famous by catching the notorious woman killer, Buffalo Bill. As the plot gets deeper and deeper, the more evil and darkness lurks about. Killing is only part of the plan, as it turns out. Clarice just might not make it so graduate to an FBI agent if she's not careful.

This is a very suspenseful novel that is very well written. A classic, at that. I actually enjoyed reading this just a little more better than seeing the movie. Though the two are almost the same, the descriptions Harris gives us are unforgettable and horrifying. I especially like how Harris describes Lecter's great escape. Very well-constructed, indeed! The dialogue that spews from Hannibal's mouth is terrifying and ingenius at the same time.

I really enjoyed this novel, and I plan to read it again. I also read "Hannibal," but I didn't find that one as enjoying. All in all, this is an outstanding novel that paints a nightmarish world with evil so terrifying it makes us shiver with ever word that is read. This book will make you thank your lucky stars that it's only fiction...... or is it?

I read the book, "The Silence of the Lambs", written by Thomas Harris. On a scale from 1 to 5 (with five being the highest) I give it a 5. It's definately a 5 because the details are extraodinary. The Silence of the lambs is a fast paced book, which makes it hard to put down. There is never a dull moment. Thomas Harris is an excellent writer. The charecters Hannibal Lector and Clarice Starlingare each unique, and the psycological aspects of this book, are outstanding. "well, Clarice, have the lambs stopped screaming?" (Harris p.366). Harris' amazing use of words and interaction between charecters makes this book "spine-tingling" and "master of suspense," claims the Boston Herald. In this book you can follow Clarice Starling, a trainee of behavioral science unit of the F.B.I as she tried to find a deadly serial killer on the loose. As well as tracking the killer, she is beginning to learn the psycological games of the one and only Dr.Hannibal Lector as he is locked away in a dark prison chamber. If you are into suspenseful, scary, mystery-horror books, then "The Silence of the Lambs" is definately a book that you should check out. If you liked Hannibal by Thomas Harris or "Felony Murder" by Joseph T. Klempher, you will love this book.

While thinking of how many stars to give this book, I decided on five. So I went back and finished the rest of the book and then came back, giving this book only four stars.

"Red Dragon" is the first book I have read by Thomas Harris. I am normally a very big Stephen King fan, but I found this book quite enjoyable nonetheless. However, like I have seen in so many books before, this had the chance of being an amazing novel, but was spoiled by a disappointing ending.

To begin, I would like to say that I do not enjoy Thomas Harris' style of writing when he uses choppy sentences and switches between the first and third person narrative. However, I soon got over that. It did not take away from the book.

Plot: 9/10--I found Francis Dolarhyde to be an extremely strange and frightening character, yet we could relate to his story. You could sense the tension between the characters as they tried to hunt him down.

Action: 8/10--This book is more of a crime drama. It is filled with more "Law and Order"-like searching than action and violence.

Characters: 9/10--Dolarhyde was extremely well-done, but Will Graham was not developed enough. He seemed like a jerk at some points despite his attempts to stop "The Dragon".

Overall: 8.5/10--This book should be at least a 9.5, but the ending was not enjoyable for me. It was an oustanding book, yes, and I will continue to read work by this author, but it seemed rushed and unoriginal. I think Mr. Harris could have come up with a better way (WARNING: SPOILER--DO NOT READ ON IF YOU WANT TO BE IN SURPRISE!) for "The Dragon" to die. It was like most horror movies today, and non suspenseful like the rest of the book. Not only did Dolarhyde suddenly lose his strength and cunning brilliance, he was killed too easily.

"Red Dragon", in conclusion, is a great piece of fiction that I cannot say enough about, but beware, the ending may be slightly disappointing to some.

Before the movie release of Hannibal I decided to go ahead and read all the Lecter novels before the release. Lecter just appears in this novel and does not star. This is one of the finest books I've ever read. Thomas Harris gives you an absolute thrill ride.

In this novel, retired FBI agent Will Graham comes out of retirement to work on a case involving a killer that kills whole families including their pets. The novel opens up with Graham at his home in Marathon Key, Florida with special agent Jack Crawford. From their the investigation starts. The killer is being dubbed the "Tooth Fairy," a name given due to the bite marks left on his victims.

Meanwhile the killer calls itself "The Red Dragon," after a pcture that the killer is obsessed over. "The Red Dragon" writes to Hannibal Lecter Ph.D, and says what an idol Lecter is to him and just makes staement about Lecter's brilliance etc., etc. I won't give away any more information regarding the plot. This is a novel that takes you to the corners of the FBI and through a killer's mind. Written by one of the greatest writers ever known, Red Dragon is a novel not to be missed. I reccomend this novel to fan of a fabulous book but not to a person that cannot deal with gore and violence. Once again, READ THIS BOOK!

HAPPY READING!

Harris first rocketed up the bestseller lists with his excellent terrorism thriller Black Sunday. His antihero Hannibal the Cannibal exploded into the public consciousness after Jonathan Demme's excellent movie version of Silence of the Lambs (1991) came out, with Anthony Hopkins brilliant creepy performance as Lecter. And, of course, fans and Hollywood have had an anxious 11 year wait for Harris to finally publish a sequel. But many people may not realize that Hannibal Lecter first appeared, albeit in a cameo role, in the novel Red Dragon and in Michael Mann's capable movie version, Manhunter (1986). If you've missed this book, I urge you to try it; in many ways it is Harris's best work.

FBI Special Will Graham has retired to Sugar Loaf Key, FL with his new wife Molly and her son Willie. Retired because of his nearly fatal encounter with a linoleum knife wielding Hannibal Lecter, whose capture he was responsible for, and because of the emotional troubles that have accompanied his ability to develop an almost extrasensory empathy for such killers, such that he has trouble purging their feelings from his own psyche. His peaceful idyll is disrupted when his old boss, Jack Crawford, shows up and asks for his help in catching The Tooth Fairy, a serial killer who is notorious for the tooth marks he leaves and for dicing his victims with shards of broken mirrors. Reluctantly agreeing to join the chase, Graham decides, in order to recapture the mindset that has made him so eerily effective in prior cases, to visit Hannibal Lecter in the Chesapeake State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. There the administrator, Dr. Frederick Chilton, shares an anecdote about Hannibal that demonstrates just how horrible he is:

"On the afternoon of July 8, 1976, Dr. Lecter complained of chest pain. His restraints were removed in the examining room to make it easier to give him an electrocardiogram. One of his attendants left the room to smoke, and the other turned away for a second. The nurse was very quick and strong. She managed to save one of her eyes."

"You may find this curious." He took a strip of EKG tape from a drawer and unrolled it on his desk. He traced the spiky line with his forefinger. "Here, he's resting on the examining table. Pulse seventy-two. Here, he grabs the nurse's head and pulls her down to him. Here, he is subdued by the attendant. He didn't resist, by the way, though the attendant dislocated his shoulder. Do you notice the strange thing? His pulse never got over eighty-five. Even when he tore out her tongue.

I don't think we're any closer to understanding him than the day he came in.''

After tabloid reporter Freddie Lowndes splashes this visit all over the pages of The Tattler, the killer too contacts Lecter who urges him to attack Graham. Thus begins a suspenseful, violent minuet as Graham develops increasing insight into the killer's methodology and psychoses, the killer plans his next kill (he's on a Lunar schedule) and Hannibal pulls strings from the dark background. Harris provides fascinating detail on police procedure, he writes savvily about how the FBI uses the media and the inventiveness of the crimes he dreams up is genuinely disturbing. But the most interesting part of the story is the delicate mental balance that Graham has to maintain in order to think like the killers but still remain sane. And as Graham penetrates further into the killer's mind, Harris reveals more and more background about the Tooth Fairy, Francis Dolarhyde, who it turns out was a horribly misshapen baby, abandoned by his mother and raised by a demented grandmother, early on manifesting the now classic signs of the serial murder--torturing animals and the like. This background and Will Graham's troubles dealing with the thought patterns he shares with Dolarhyde raise questions about what separates us from such men and whether there's a formula for creating such evil beings. Is it really simply a matter of psychosexual abuse of young boys and, presto chango, you've created a serial killer?

In addition to this kind of portrayal of the psychotic as victim, our effort to deal with these creatures has resulted in a sizable batch of thrillers where the serial killer is portrayed as a nearly superhuman genius. This flows from the same impulse that makes folks so willing to believe that assassinations are conspiracies. It is extremely hard, as a society, to face the fact that nondescript shlubs like David Berkowitz and Lee Harvey Oswald and Richard Speck and James Earl Ray are really capable of causing so much social disruption. Their crimes are so monumental that we want the killers to be equal in stature to the crimes. The sad truth of the matter is that these monsters are, in fact, generally hapless losers. They are not Lecterlike geniuses.

That said, Hannibal is still one of the great fictional creations of recent times, our age's version of Dracula or Frankenstein, and Harris's imaginative story makes for a great, albeit unsettling, read with more food for thought than most novels of the type.

GRADE: A