Everyone knows it takes more than a good "how-to" book to get into a great school, but the specifics often remain a mystery. "What It Really Takes..." goes a long way towards eliminating that mystery. My daughters' admissions process is still a few years away, but they will both be reading this one and hopefully taking this solid advice to heart.

A gold mine of information. But the reader must mine the gold.
The author is a Harvard graduate and a former admissions officer there. His writing and organization should have been better. Some of the sections are bloated and repetitious. He should have used more illustrations and less text. And his advocacy of racial ³diversity² was unnecessary and unpersuasive. His editor should have insisted that he condense the manuscript from 254 pages to 200 pages. Nevertheless, get out your shovels and start digging. Its worth the time and money.

Of the numerous how-to books purporting to provide the key to gaining admission to a prestigious university, this one stands above the rest. It is insightful, enjoyable to read, and provides sound, straightforward advice. The author has the appropriate credentials, and his case studies are very instructive. Bottom line is that if you (or your kid) wants an Ivy education, this book is an excellent investment.

I don't normally put my medical textbooks out for display, but I like to use this one as a conversation piece. Each chapter is well reasoned, concise, and suprisingly entertaining. The chapter entitled "Pharmacology of Hetastarch and Pentastarch" had me weeping. Med students - this book will help you fly through boards. Lay people - this book is a suprisingly good read. You know, I don't know this "Ron Faust," but I'm sure we would be instant friends if we ever met. I'd love to share a bottle of courvasier in front of a warm fire and discuss the finer points of anesthesiology with this man. My wife is sick of me talking about him.

The Anesthesiology Review is the most comprehensive and informative text for medical students and anesthesiology residents. I am finishing up my third year at Duke Universtiy Medical School. I wish that all my text books were as easy to read and made subjects such as 'automatic internal cardiac defibrillator procedures' interesting.

Who said anesthesia textbooks had to put you to sleep? Before I read this book, I thought Succinalcholyne was something you put in your pool. Ron Faust is the Dale Earnhart of modern medicine. "Anesthesioligy Review"? I don't think so. Try "Anesthesiology Bible." Five stars? How bout 10!

From the first page, Faust takes you on an adventure of mystery, intrigue and treachery. From the Keys to Aspen to Mexico and culminating in the Caribbean, one man's quest to understand what drives a woman to stop at nothing in her aspirations, leads him to experience much of the same... Couldn't put it down. My first Faust novel, have already ordered 2 more!

Faust's book is more than just a great love story, more than an adventure novel, more than a mystery. It's a parable for the war between the sexes. Heady stuff. Don't miss it.

I read When She Was Bad in 1995 and have re-read it several times since. Faust's writing has been compared to Hemingway and for good reason. I envy the person reading this book for the first time. Not since John D. MacDonald has a writer gripped me with such force.

The Adventures of Private Faust is a classic book which makes me laugh every time I pick it up. Hans Hellmut Kirst is a German WWII veteran, giving the book a perspective not normally availible today. The setting for this book is a North African British POW camp, holding German prisoners after the end of the war. But that doesn't mean the book is a dry read; far from it. Every page brings another laugh, from the ingenious escape attempts of (German) Private Faust, to Command Sergeant Major's (German) Scottish pipe band.

If you liked Catch-22, you'll love this book.

In my opinion Hans Hulmut Kirst is the most talented historical novelists of this century. I litererly cannot put down his books once I get started reading, I have always enjoyed going back and reading the same books again.

Hans H. Kirst is a Vetran of WWII, he saw and writes from the German perspective, and tell his story, keeping the reader spellbound, and the reader on the edge of their seat, all the while giving valuable historical information.

Perhaps Private Faust is really Hans himself, Hans writes about Faust in other novels, progressing him thrugh the military ranks.

This or any other book by Hans Helmut Kirst is well worth the time, money, and effort to aquire and read. Thank You!

This three volume work, updated by supplements, is an invaluable addition to the bookcase of the lawyer with an interest in litigation involving evidence from psychiatrists, psychologists or those in related fields. It provides a detailed overview of the methodology, terminology and techniques of the various practitioners the trial lawyer is likely to encounter, along with practical examples of cases concerning evidence from such witnesses. A supurb work of scholarship.

This three volume set is rich with valuable information and techniques for dealing with psychiatric and psychological testimony. I have reviewed a number of books and this is well worth the price. I will be using it for the first time in court in about 2 months. If you have any questions, or if you have used it yourself, E-mail me at ggoldshark@aol.com Also, if you are a psychologist or psychiatrist, let me know your thoughts, both good and bad, about the book.

When I read through the introduction, I was surprised to find out that this work was the result of a lifetime's endeavor - because it's relatively short. While authors these days churn out 600 page books on a yearly basis, this man wrote over the course of his life. The writing is very different from modern day authors such as Steven King, in that detail is only applied to objects sparingly, where as S.King's books tend to delve into details at will.

This is, to my mind, the best existing English translation of Faust. Luke's verse is ingenious, it flows beautifully, and -- above all -- it rhymes! Non-rhyming translations can never capture Goethe's extraordinary poetry. Other ryhming efforts are typically awkward and unnatural. Luke's introduction is also highly illuminating -- scholarly, but accessible. If you want to get as close to the original as is possible in English, read this version.

Looking at some reviews by other reviewers, I realized that not everybody has heard of Faust or of Goethe, and I was pretty shocked.

The first part of what I'm saying is about this translation. As Luke so graphically showed in his "Translator's introduction", there are many things that pull at the translator's central agenda: rhyme, metre, primary meaning, nuance, and so on, and the translator has to achieve a balance. Among the translations I've read and from snippets of what I've seen of other translations, Wayne's translation has the most smooth-flowing, elegant rhyme I've seen.

As positives for this translation: The elegance is unparallelled; the wit is sparkling; the metre is almost flawless; the deviation from Goethe is usually acceptable; and there is never, repeat, never, an obvious rhyme-holder word.

As negatives for this translation: There is in a few cases too much of deviation from the original; Wayne at times infuses his own interpretation and character into the work; and the English, though just perfect for, say, a 1950's speaker in England (and those of us used to that kind of word-flow), may be distracting for Americans in 2000.

An example of the latter: "What depth of chanting, whence the blissful tone / That lames my lifting of the fatal glass?" This is pretty representative: if "lames my lifting" does not sound pretentious or obscure, and if the elegance of it strikes you, Wayne's translation is the one for you. If on the other hand, "lames my lifting" sounds straight out of a mediaeval scroll (as I believe is the case with many Americans), then look elsewhere for a translation you will enjoy (read: Luke).

Another, more involved example is in the final lines of Faust II: Wayne translates "Das unbeschreibliche / Hier ists getan" as "Here the ineffable / Wins life through love". Now that, of course is hardly a translation; but it fits in with Wayne's scheme of things - and that IS the point; Wayne has his "scheme of things", which you may or may not like.

The second part of what I'm writing is about Faust itself, the Masterwork: as any German will tell you, Faust is one of the centrepieces of literature, and it is worthwhile learning German JUST to read Faust. Each person comes away from "Faust" having found that that he/she was looking for. Every person is reflected in Faust; "Faust" is the ultimate story of Man. What tempts us, what keeps us, what draws us on, what tears us, what defines us, what lies in store for us - it is all there. "Faust" is a journey everyone should undertake. There is nothing controversial here - no "God", no "Hellfire", nothing but Goethe's straightforward but not blunt, sensitive but not compromised, philosophical but not dreamy, analysis of the human situation. "Faust" is the Master thinker Goethe's sincere attempt at looking at it all; and it does not fall visibly short of the task.

Part I should be read by everyone; Part II is not strictly a sequel, but in many ways is, as Wayne shows in his Introduction. Part II requires some knowledge of Greek Mythology; and does in many ways "complete the story". Only, it goes way beyond that.

I never knew how enjoyable reading plays could be until I read Part I of FAUST. I enjoyed it much more than The Odyssey and Romeo and Juliet. It has an interesting plot and several lines that I will never forget. It also shows how able a man is to hold his morals under the worst circumstances. Buy the Philip Wayne translation. He translated the work without using any Old English, makes it very easy to understand by the word order, and most of all makes great rhymes.

MEPHISTO:I would have the devil take me instantly, but I myself am he.

there is little wonder why authors like Nabokov, Bely, Bulgakov etc. have used this book as a foundation for many of their most famous books. faust is simply exquisite.

Open the first page and embark into the world of Goethe, there is little wonder why faust took fifty years to complete. Be warned, though, that once delved into, the external world will appear mundane and worthless. Faust is a must read for anyone who is willing to devote the necessary time to completely understand the element of absurdity (as according to camus). read and find out if a fifty year vacation with the devil is worth your soul. A MUST BUY NOW!

....and a tale so archetypal, so Frankensteinian and relevant to the concerns of our Faustian culture, that if you read it and don't feel uplifted, bedazzled, and troubled, then you probably don't get it.

Nothing could ever surpass this book in scope or beauty. This book asks the question: is life worth living? is it worth it to strive? or is the suicidal nihilism of Mephistopheles the only product having attained a great amount of experience? Part I is brilliant and romantic. The Gretchen tragedy is, in my mind, greater than Romeo and Juliet. Part II is classical. Though much more obscure in its references, it too manages to achieve great beauty and import. And all this not in the original language. Read this book.

In The Empire Strikes Back, Luke Skywalker reluctantly agrees to "try" to salvage his spaceship. The Yoda replies, "Do or do not. There is no try." The authors of this book agree with the Yoda. They suggest that responsible managers insist on achieving results. While chairman and CEO of Pier 1 Imports, Clark Johnson observed that he always encouraged effort but only rewarded performance. Johnson may not have read this book but he certainly agrees with the key points its authors make.

In Chapter 1, they revisit and redefine the concept of responsibility. In subsequent chapters, they discuss a leader's responsibility to the customer, to the organization, and to everyone within the organization. They view the responsible manager as a problem solver and, in Chapter 5, provide a problem-solving approach "that works." They then shift their attention to "Getting the Right Answer" and "Getting the Right Result." For the authors, judgment is the foundation of responsibility. They also assert, in Chapter 9, that there is "a rationale for teams that work" and then explain what that rationale is...also, what it requires of everyone involved. In Chapters 10 and 11, they answer two key questions: How to design an effective team? and How to maximize productivity among the members of a team? In the final chapter, the authors explain what is needed to keep responsible change alive.

According to the authors, "most change efforts fail because of an inadequate understanding of what produces value in the business or of how human beings change." They then offer eight specific reasons why change efforts fail:

1. We like to feel good. [change threatens comfort levels]

2. No top leadership support [if "they" don't care, why should anyone else?]

3. Change efforts do not address the whole system [a fragmented approach tends to focus on symptoms rather than on causes]

4. We hide failure [success is reassuring...failure could involve blame and guilt]

5. Misunderstanding of what has changed [See #3]

6. Too few understand the rationale for change efforts [ie those who are expected to support change initiatives are not told how and why their support is so essential]

7. Neglect of transition [failure to understand that change is an incremental process, not a quantum leap from "here" to "there"]

8. There is no structure for change [within the organization, there are no policies and procedures to resolve the conflict between "what is done now" and "doing better"]

Hence the importance of having a sense of responsibility to help solve problems shared by everyone, of having patience during the inevitably slow process of organizational change, and of having self-discipline throughout that challenging process. The authors correctly point out that (1) "everyone must be willing to carry his or her share of the load", (2) "Sustainable efforts take two to three years but result in dramatically more healthy and more exciting organizations", and (3) "The discipline of change refers to the regularity with which change is pursued as well as emerging skills that are developed through devotion to change." A responsible leader understands all this, conducts herself or himself accordingly, and requires everyone else to do so also. Working together, they identify problems and then solve them. "There is no try...." and excuses are unacceptable.

One final point: Recent research suggests that by 2025 at the latest (but probably much sooner), organizational rewards will be completely based on performance. To varying degrees, responsible leaders have been supporting that policy for decades.

This is one of the most entertaining and useful books about leadership and management I've ever read. I highly recommend it to anyone in any position of responsibility. Both the concepts and the techniques are invaluable.

The authors focus a bright light on the vital role and enduring quality of personal responsiblity in the work place. Imagine if each of us really did take responsibility for customer satisfaction, getting the right results, and problem solving! We could really make our workplaces stages for personal satisfaction, even joy. This is the future the authors believe in and they've provided a strong tool set in the book to help us get there.

It discusses some obvious things about high schools--including some high schools are bad and some are good-- and makes a lot of general statements about how high schools should be run.
I would have liked something a little more positive happening, something more inspiring and less like laying down what's good. Indeed the moral importance in high schools that runs through the book is a positive thing, but there was something judgemental or negative about it. I'm not sure why I dont feel compeled by the advice given. More suggestions which are actually ideas, at least to get the creative juices flowing would be a good thing also.

Rated as excellent in 6/19/00 U. S. News & World Reports, I am pursuing research on this book while attempting to locate a library or preview copy to read myself!

quote from The Students are Watching: "School exists to change young people. The young people should be different--better--for their experience there. They should know some important things, they should know how to learn additional important things, and they should be in the habit of wanting to learn such important things. They should have a reasoned, but individual point of view. They should be judicious, aware of the complexity of the world. They should be thoughtful, respectful of thought and of ideas which are the furniture of thought." The Students are Watching is about teaching morals through example and treating students with respect while delivering education in an ethical manner. I don't really view this as a "how to teach morals" book, but as a guide to running an ethical school.