Review of The New Pioneers: The Men and Women Who Are Transforming the Workplace and Marketplace (Paperback)

Reading The New Pioneers is a pleasant occupation.On theother hand, reviewing this book for people who have not yet read it isa challenging task.This is primarily because the book is written to be read and understood at many different levels.

The simplest and most obvious level is as a series of charming stories in the best humanistic tradition that demonstrate that there is good business in being a good human.

At a deeper level, Mr. Petzinger is also telling us that the economy is changing in a fundamental way because of the experiences of small and middle sized business leaders, such as those cited in the book.

Beyond that, he is suggesting something fundamental about human civilization and its potential to create astonishingly positive results.

At whatever level you consider the book, you will be well rewarded for reading it.

I must admit that it is tempting to ignore the book's shortcomings, but that would shortchange the principles that Mr. Petzinger is exploring...

As heart-warming as this book is, it is a scrapbook rather than a vision for individual entrepreneurs. Its value for entrepreneurs is, nonetheless, quite substantial.The benefit comes from stimulating ideas among readers by showing new business examples that have not been widely published and discussed before. I hope all entrepreneurs will read this book for that important benefit.

A fine effort from a talented journalist!END



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Review of A Secret Word: A Novel (Paperback)

I'm not one to write reviews for books, not even those I really like, but I feel compelled to weigh in on A SECRET WORD. I read it weeks ago and told my sisters and my mother and some friends at work about it, telling them that they would have to read it, and some have, and those who did loved it, too. But what I have to weigh in on is its remarkable story, or plot, which couldn't be more energized or more thorough in its representation of all aspects of female life, or maybe all life in general really. Between the plotlines of the three main characters, we've got two tragic deaths (one accidental, one intentional), a multitude of failed love affairs, love-at-first sight, a good marriage, a bad marriage, divorce, mother/daughter relationships, father/daughter relationships, brother/sister relationships, girlfriend friendships, a gay guy/straight girl friendship, drug use, rock 'n roll, tennis, dance, acting, abortion, depression, 9-11, and countless coming-of-age situations that are immensely funny or sad and always memorable and inspirational and which occur in locales as diverse as Florence, Italy; Destin, Florida; Washington, D.C.; Fort Smith, Arkansas; and New York, NY. Yet, somehow, with all this activity and diversity, the plotlines merge and develop in subtle ways that some readers, if they read too fast, won't be able to appreciate. If you're wanting to race through this book, and think you can or you should because it isn't long and because the language is clear and conversational, be warned: you will be missing out on much beauty, much music, much art, much real life. Be good to yourself, is my advice, and take in everything. If you race through the Metropolitan Museum of Art, you might think a Monet is just a simple blur of color and not much else. This book, I assure you, deserves either to be read slowly or to be reread. I opted, incidentally, to do both.



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Review of Perfect Lies: A Century of Great Golf Stories (Paperback)

With stories as random as any other collection that I have ever read, Perfect Lies truly is the perfect book. Reading this collection cover to cover has left inspired and it also left me begging for a sequel.If youlove golf and don't feel you have the heart and spirit of a true golfer, Ihighly reccommend that you purchase this book from Amazon! As soon as Ifinished each story, I found myself excited to begin the next. Make thepurchase now! Don't hesitate one moment!

Product Description
Spanning 85 years and including writers from several countries, Perfect Lies features classic stories such as F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams", and new stories from rising stars. Includes a total of 25 stories.

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Review of Blonde Like Me: The Roots of the Blonde Myth in Our Culture (Paperback)

"I'm not offended by people who think I'm a dumb blonde, because I know two things they don't: I'm not dumb, and I'm not blonde." -- Dolly Parton

People are just not happy with things as they are. Australopithicus africanus used tools, which means that he willfully andimaginatively altered his environment, and -- even though he was not a truehuman -- probably did the one thing that we humans do best when not makingdecorative cuts in our enemies, which is to make decorative cuts inourselves. People trim, style and color their hair, tattoo their bodies,daub on paint and enhance or minimize sundry parts for the simple reasonthat they can. As soon as a new way of altering the body comes along, wegreet it with glad cries and rejoicing. It's not a fad, it's the humancondition.True blondes -- blondes over the age of six -- are asscarce as hen's teeth. But blonde, as Natalia Ilyin discusses in her witty,poignant book "Blonde Like Me," is a state of mind that disregards exteriorreality in favor of the inner vision. Beginning with the title, itself aclever play on John Howard Griffin's 1959 "Black Like Me," the bookexplores the social condition of people who, because of their coloration,are treated differently by their fellows. In Ilyin's case, better, and inGriffin's case, worse, but the kicker is that neither is what they seem.Natalia Ilyin, 6'2" in her stocking feet, armed cap a pie with blonde hairand high heels has "caused minor traffic accidents,"as well you mightimagine. Blondeness is a metaphor for beauty and allure. Blondeness confersinstant sexual power. What do I mean when I say, in cryptic shorthand,"Tonight I have a date with a blonde"? Natalia knows, and if you read"Blonde Like Me," she'll tell you.

David Lance Goines



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Review of The Time Before History: 5 Million Years of Human Impact (Paperback)

Tudge has an interesting book with "The Time Before History." He spends a great deal of the book laying the groundwork for the appearence of the ancestors of humans, with detailed discussions of geology, climate, and the evolution of fauna and flora. The chapter on prehistoric creatures was pretty interesting, and considering the dearth of popular works on extinct mammals make this book a worthwhile read alone.

Tudge though is at his best when describing the various types of early humans and protohumans -from the various types of Australopithecines to Homo sapiens - and how they evolved, how they lived, and in some cases, how they spread. Useful are his discussion of ecomorphs and how the generalized ecomorphs of primates favored the development of bipedal, tool-using, intelligent protohumans, and his coverage of the diet of australopithecines and early humans and how this affected our evolution, as well as what we know of these beings. Tudge also provides a lot of interesting theories and information regarding the spread of not only Homo sapiens into the world but Homo erectus before him; also theories as to what happened to the Neanderthals and if they were a seperate species or not are detailed as well.

The Tudge book is not perfect though. I think he spends too much time on background prior to discussions of early man. Though interesting, they take up a sizeable section of the book. Some of the asides in the chapter on extinct mammals while interesting are controversial, though he does provide citations for those interested in checking on things. Examples include his mentioning of the theory that giant ground sloths may have been arboreal, that the mastodon genus Cuvieronius may have survived in Central America until several centuries after Christ, and that the dwarf mammoth of Wrangel Island (which survived into historic times, this has been well documented) is actually pictured on a pharaoh's tomb in Egypt, according to some having been illustrated when one was presented as a gift!

Still, I wouldn't let some of these controversial statements steer potential readers away from this book. It still provides decent coverage of extinct mammals, concepts in paleontology, and a good coverage of eartly man, his development, and spread around the globe.



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