The 3 Keys to Empowerment revisits the three keys discussed in another Blanchard book, Empowerment Takes More Than a Minute. These three keys are: share information with everyone, create autonomy through boundaries and let teams become the hierarchy. They should be applied to each of the three stages of moving toward empowerment. Many of the actions suggested for the initial stage: "Starting and Orienting the Journey," are repeated in the discussions of the other stages, "Change and Discouragement" and "Adopting and Refining Empowerment." The authors say some areas need repeated focus so readers can implement change. Unfortunately, this is repetitive.

The book's most useful feature is the Empowerment Action Plan, a clear, easy to follow list of specific actions leaders can take at each stage of the journey to empowerment. The 3 Keys is written for CEOs and senior executives.

After reading and being intrigued by the authors' previous book, "Empowerment Takes More Than a Minute," I was curious about this follow-up book. I was pleasantly surprised to find this book was written as a complementary "stand-alone" book with a much different style than its predecessor.

Unlike Blanchard's usual simple, entertaining, and fun-to-read story-telling books, this book was a detailed, practical, common-sense guideline for individuals and organizations on their journeys from hierarchy to empowerment. Besides the credible factual and objective analysis of becoming empowered, this book confirmed for me what I always suspected about Blanchard's usual powerful parables: they are backed up by extensive research, knowledge, and experience.

This book starts with a great, concise overview of "Empowerment Takes More Than a Minute," and then moves on to common, expected questions with practical, executable answers designed to assist people and organizations going through the journey from hierarchy to empowerment. The book concludes with an outstanding detailed empowerment action plan that captures the essence of how the 3 keys to empowerment (share information with everyone, create autonomy through boundaries, and let teams become the hierarchy) can and should be applied simultaneously through the 3 stages of change (starting and orienting the journey, change and discouragement, and adopting and refining empowerment).

Designed as a guidebook, I can easily see the book being used by leaders at all levels who must deal with and implement empowering, or other major changes in their organizations. As is the case with all guidebooks, the information in this book requires the readers' judgment in applying it to the realities of their situations. If viewed as a guaranteed checklist for success by people and organizations that want a quick fix with little thought, this book will likely fall short of expectations. If viewed as a practical, common-sense packed reference, I believe this book will be an invaluable leadership tool for long-term effectiveness and efficiency.

Ken Blanchard, John Carlos, and I wrote this book as a follow up to our best selling Empowerment Takes More Than A Minute. This book is designed to help any manager or team leader or company president who wants to release the power of people for astonishing results. We know that empowerment is often viewed as a buzzword, but we also know that it works for those who stick with it. We think this book can help team leaders and team members know what to do to keep moving forward. Let us know what you think and ask us any questions you have -- we will respond.

"American Locomotives" is a definitive reference on "the charms and power of the steam locomotive." John White Jr. has revised and expanded his 1968 classic by including a dozen new comprehensive case histories of representative locomotives. The new engines include the 1843 La Junta (a Cuban "pigmy" of a locomotive that survived "tropical storms, revolutions, insurrections, and a Communist takeover") and the 1876 Marmora (nicknamed "Clocks" because "the engines ran as smoothly and as steadily as a fine mantle clock"). The book has three other main sections. The first section focuses on design concepts, the makers of the locomotives, and the variety of materials used in the building of the engines; the second section centers around the development of engine components; and the third section contains representative engines from the first endition. White has also included 45 new illustrations; and for the most part, they are clear and detailed. In short, this is a handsome and commendable reprint. Kudos to White and The Johns Hopkins University Press.

This will be short: If you are a serious student of 19th Century locomotive engineering, U.S. or worldwide, you need this book. While the subject is probably inexhaustable - and I certainly wish the author was young enough to write two or three similar books on other nations' engines or later developments! - this volume is without peer for early American development of the Iron Horse.

This work is a comprehensive review of the early development of the steam locomotive in the United States. It thoroughly explores the nuts and bolts of every aspect of steam locomotives, and describes how each was developed. It satisfies even the most insatiable love of trains. If you love trains, model a steam railroad, or ever wanted to work in a railroad roundhouse in 1860, this book is for you. It will give you many hours of enjoyable reading, and be useful for many years as an in-depth reference for early steam locomotives.

The true life story of Bjorn Ortenheim has enough rich material to span several books and whilst some of the detail of his spiritual encounters with the 'Power of Light' were too far removed from my own beliefs, the message was as striking as it was stark. I can't recommend this book enough, it completely engrossed me and after finishing it in one sitting, I know I'll read it again. It hasn't changed my life, but it has made me sit up and take a good look around me at the world and my place in it. Utterly fascinating.

Readers of Ruth Montgomery's books on walk-ins were introduced to this Inventor-Scientist and his drive to create a polution free technology. Pattents for electric cars, hybrids, energy recovery devices and water purification are only a hint of his efforts to bring us into the 21st Century. This humanistic biography reads like an adventure novel- but its all true. A remarkable life! A necessary follow up to Ruth's final book, "The World To Come". Read and change!

Bjorn also wrote a novel, the Crystal City, just published, and has a children's book in the works. Use a search engine to find more!

A fantastic and very inspiring book that deals with the
underlying forces of nature. Bjorns guide "Power of Light"
gives us so many clues of why nature acts as it does and why
"the creator" probably will have to shake us up a bit in order
to get our priorities right.
As far as I can understand, we don't have very much time left
to change direction if mother earth is to survive.
-And of course the creator won't let the planet die, so guess
who will have to take the blow...

Obviously those who created the mess which we're in, we ourselves.

So maybe we should stop fighting for oil and gas, like now in
the middle east and focus our attention on alternative energy
solutions, as one example. Something Bjorn has spent many years
on with new inventions and good results. But with very poor
backup from the industry.

Albert Einstein once said something like that humankind won't
really gain anything from the modern western science until it
meets with the eastern spirituality and wisdom.

"POL" puts it very simply.
-Enter a dark room, light one small match, and the darkness
is gone.

-A must read for all interested in our very near future!!!

It may be the case that this book is for an intermediate practitioner, as the anecdotes about different campaigns provide nice fodder for one's own ideas about pr. However, it ultimately falls short because there is little detail about the execution of each campaign. For example, in a multi-year campaign, exactly what did they do, whom did they contact, what did they say? Who said no and why? What did the press releases say? More disturbing than the glaring lack of sample press materials, the chapter that describes how further to make PR work for the clients is especially light on content. It seems aimed more at potential pr clients and not so much at a studying pr practitioner. This, of course, is in itself a brilliant pr move; while not advertising for the author's own service, it does build the perception of need in the potential client who may buy the book. If that is the case, then I am looking forward to Mr. Saffir's next book with more focus on specific technique behind the smart ideas.

Excellent book. It shows interesting PR-concepts that have been applied in the past. The books focuses rather on the concept and on the interdisciplinary interplay with other disciplines such as marketing, sales etc. It doesn't touch the down-to-earth work that's behind all the successes.

This is food for the practitioner at an intermediate level. Packed with case studies, experiences and real life tips, it shares valuable vision and opinions to help define the P/R discipline. Like a mentor, Saffir gives steps to mesh your P/R effort with any corporate structure and attitude. This book is not meant to cover all parts of P/R but has more meat and less fat than most.

This extensive book covers almost every tool made by Stanley. The author had assistance from the Stanley Works in Conn and many major tool collectors. Tools are very accurately described so that amature collectors can determine the model , manufacture date and current value of most Stanley tools. A very detailed review of the major categories of planes and patents is presented in the back of the book along with a complete index by tool model number.If you collect Stanley tools, this book HAS to be in your workshop.

The sine-qui-non of tool collecting references. If you can't find it in Walters book chances are you won't find it anywhere. Okay you have a #3 plane but what type of #3 plane? The differences can be subtle but important (like a fine wine). Any serious tool collector or curious tool user will enjoy this book.

The writing style was clear and captivating, and the ideas were well supported by a wealth of research. Be sure you understand however that the book is focused on the business of renewable energy and less on the technology and policy aspects. Most of the book is comprised of case stories which follow businesses through their struggle to make renewable energy profitable and competitive with fossil fuels. You will get an intimate portrait of the ups and downs of businesses in the industry and the personalities behind them. Unfortunately, the minutia of each step along a business's road to success or failure can become less than interesting. The book was largely a history of business dealings in the industry and I was looking for something which gave more attention to the prospect of renewables in the future and how renewables can overcome the tiresome use of fossil fuels.

A very interesting book.If you are interested in solar,wind,biomass and other clean energy sources then this is the book for you.This book takes you from past to present with insights on the people who are making this field happen.It also tells you about their business strategies and practices.It also gives detailed information about where this particular technology is headed with respects to the dropping manufacturing costs and a host of other things.If you choose only one book on this subject,MAKE SURE IT IS THIS ONE!enjoy.

Ms. Yaroshinskaya's telling of her struggle to publish the truth about the Chernobyl disaster ranks among the best of this type. Very good, very true story. Well translated. The forward by John Gofman is a self praising, out-of-place, anti-nuclear discussion on how to conduct a type of research. The book would have been improved by its omission.

Chernobyl: The Forbidden Truth is about the inadequate care of the victims of Chernobyl, the inadequate immediate response to the accident, the inadequate records-keeping of the investigaters, and the continuing cost in human and animal suffering caused by this tragedy. Dr. Gofman's foreward is an important addition that ties the book's litany of problems together with a description of what should be done instead regarding investigating the exact size of the calamity. Millions of Curies of various radioactive substances were released (some long-lived, some not so long-lived), but no one really knows where it all went and who is absorbing a dose right now. This is, however, a chronic problem with nuclear activities around the world, and not limited to Chernobyl.

In particular, Gofman's NINE ESSENTIAL RULES OF INQUIRY should be required reading for everyone involved in such research. It outlines important requirements for all such testing. Gofman is a Professor Eme! ritus of Medical Physics at the University of California at Berkeley. He is a co-discoverer of Uranium-233 and isolated the world's first "working quantities" of plutonium at Robert Oppenhiemer's personal request for the Manhattan Project during WWII. Since that service to America he has continued to research radiation and its effect on human health and is referred to as "brilliant" by even his adversaries.

His comments belong not only in the foreward of this important book, but they also belong pasted to the desks of every nuclear scientist who ever tried to answer the question of just how low a level of radiation is actually "safe".

Perhaps if/when they find an answer to that question Gofman's comments will no longer apply, but that day appears to be far off, when our best "research event" ever in the field of human radiation experiments (at least, the best "research event" since Hiroshima and Nagasaki) is as poorly han! dled as it was -- and is -- being handled, as is made clear! in Alla Yaroshinskaya's monumental book.

the record by record and song by song account given by the authors is truly amazing! I like the little bits of info given about each song...What was going on during the recording...what certain lyrics were meant to mean....lots of tidbits like those, that add up to an informative and fun read for any Aerosmith fan!

This is a great book for any Aerosmith collector.
I loved it. The book is the size of a CD, but this book is packed with great reviews of each album and songs to their albums. It ends at Nine Lives, as this album was just released once the book was released.

I was hesitant at first to order it, since it was smaller than their other books available, but there are some great photos of the boys and the book was very well compiled.

Get it, it's worth the money.

The reason to buy this book is the excelent photographs of the details of the ship. As a B&W picture book, it is excelent.

The text is generally weak with a number of technical errors. The author comes across as a fawning admirer rather an expert.

The book could have been much improved with more complete diagrams of the ship. (Has plans but not of the superstructure or lower decks.)

The Battleship Texas, now a museum, is a great attraction for tourists to the San Jacinto Monument and Battlegrounds near Houston, Texas.

Normal tourists wander through the ship, shoot a few pictures and leave.

Hugh Power, who lives on Galveston Island nearby, fell in love with the ship, its history and photo opportunity. He spent, to my knowledge, 3 years photographing every nook and cranny of the Battleship.

He took pictures morning and evening, at noon, with and without flash, from this angle and that. He spent hours in his darkroom developing the pictures, experimenting with different exposures and using all the tricks in the trade to create black & white art.

The effort was well worth it. The book is superb, a delight to both, the lover of good photography and ships.

A fabulous and interesting book about a fascinating part of history. Much of the artistry is actually in the pictures, diagrams, and text themselves.

Mr. Powers actually got some of the original Navy blueprints from the ship's construction, and this was the source of the drawings in the book. Occasional compromises were made in the amount of detail the diagrams offer due to space constraints.

Nonetheless this is a beautiful and fascinating way to learn more about this historic ship.

I thought this was a really good book. It explained a lot of things that I had not understood from previous books that I had read. It tells you how to make certain infusions, candles, among other natural magic spells. It offered really good tables, although they are not complete. He offers an excellent bibliography for you to pursue more info to fill in the gaps that he admits leaving. I got a little lost in the last chapter on alchemy. I felt that he could have explained that a little better (I admit that I don't know very much about it). A very good book on the subject.

It's a lovely encyclopeadia that contains archain knowledge of herbs, crystals and other materials atc... Excellent for begginers.

This is defenitly a companion to Scott Cunninghams encyclodida of magical herbs. John Michael Greer not only describes the power of herbs he also goes into other things like the elements, precious stons, crystals, and animals. Remember this is just an encyclopedia but its a really good one.