Building a Business the Buddhist Way: A Practitioner's Guidebook

Customer Reviews:

Building your business in an emotional intelligent way.......2001-07-20

The above title would be as good as calling it "the buddhist way". Contrary to most books that help you write a business plan, this book focusses on your future company's most important asset: YOU. As this book states, making sure your business is compatible with who you are (your values, your mission), are key elements to build a sustainable business, as are making sure you are ready to do what it takes (having the entrepreneurial attitude). Also, contrary of many dot-com era business books, it sees growing a business in a slow way (without requiring millions of Venture Capital) as a viable option.

So why it didn't I give 5 stars? I think that some of the techniques we teach in our book are better to think about one's mission and values (and to discover them). Also, the way certain topics are introduced as "Buddhist" may put of some readers, which is too bad, given the overall value of this book.

Recommended as compatible with my own writings! This book will guide you through the process to come up with a business plan. Comes complete with worksheets.

Patrick E.C. Merlevede, MSc. -- co-author of "7 Steps to Emotional Intelligence"

Just what I was looking for.......2000-06-08

In the first few pages I knew that my desire to open a business I could feel really good about was not some fantasy. The more I read the more I realized that my dream is more feasible than I really thought. I read it through once (quick and easy read), loved it, now I will read it again and go through all the exercises. If it does not prove to be helpful I'll write another review but she gives many other sources for information and guidance that I can't imagine, with the right amount of passion, it can't be done!

Don't let the title scare you away.......1999-12-17

Don't let the title fool you. What may sound like a hippy-dippy, touchy-feely, new age book for the Birkenstock crowd is actually a serious, fact-filled planning tool.

If you believe that your business can be successful and still be built on principles then this book will not only reinforce that belief, but walk you through how to go about setting it up that way from the beginning. If you're already in business, you can still use this information to change your direction and refocus your goals.

Geri Larkin's book grew from her own business career, her experiences as a Buddhist seminarian, and as a trainer.

Basically, the idea here is that your values merge with your work. That you strike a balance between having a business and having a life. The steps are easy: 1) simplify your life; 2) make money honestly; and 3) work is one of the most powerful spiritual practices. If you run your business by your own principles, success will naturally follow.

Even if you are not a Buddhist, the planning tools alone are extremely useful. Yes, there are sections about setting your goals and discovering what you want out of your life and business. But it's much more. This is essentially a workbook. It's full of checklists, worksheets, charts, and formulas.

Beginners will find this book most useful, but don't dismiss it if you're already in business. There are entire chapters devoted to cash flow calculations, setting up a marketing plan, and writing a business plan. You know. A business plan. We ALL have one, don't we?

I did remember balance sheets and income statements, but I sure had forgotten how to do a cash flow analysis, how to figure mark-ups, and how useful a budget can be.

This is a book best read with a pencil in hand and a calculator close by.

A Right Way to Build a Life and a Business.......1999-05-14

Buy this book. Read it now, especially if you want to start a business which is meaningful and valuable, whether if you are a Buddhist or not. I was among the members of the first class that Geri taught on this topic -- which forms the backbone of the book. It changed my life as an entrepreneur and has changed those of others. I can not recommend it more highly -- it is written in a frank and practical and funny style AND it tells you the real truth about creating your own business using Buddhist ideas. The Budhist component is not overwhelming: this is not a "Zen and the Art of Lucre". It is a truly useable and profound look at the way we can live our lives through our livelihood.

Average customer rating:
Hunt-Scanlon's Select Guide to Human Resource Executives 2001 (Hunt-Scanlon's Directory of Human Resource Executives)

Manufacturer: Hunt Scanlon Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Reference | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Directories | Catalogs & Directories | Reference | Subjects | Books
General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1885695438

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Hunt-Scanlon's the Select Guide to Human Resource Executives 2001 (Hunt-Scanlons Directory of Human Resources Executives, 2001)
Inc. Staff Hunt-Scanlon Publishing Co.
Manufacturer: Hunt-Scanlon Publishing Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Directories | Catalogs & Directories | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1885695330

Book Description

Through oral and written narratives, this book examines the interaction between women and the war in Spain, their motivation, the distinctive form of their involvement, and the effect of the war on their individual lives. These themes are related to wider issues, such as the nature of memory and the role of women within the public sphere. Throughout the study the author distils the most recent theoretical work in the fields of oral history, psychoanalytic methodology for historians, and the anthropological, historical and cultural studies on memory and memorialization.

British Women and the Spanish Civil War.(Reviews of Books)(Book Review): An article from: Albion

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British Women and the Spanish Civil War.(Reviews of Books)(Book Review): An article from: Albion
Pamela M. Graves
Manufacturer: North American Conference on British Studies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Spain | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Albion, published by North American Conference on British Studies on January 1, 2004. The length of the article is 1225 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: British Women and the Spanish Civil War.(Reviews of Books)(Book Review)
Author: Pamela M. Graves
Publication: Albion (Refereed)
Date: January 1, 2004
Publisher: North American Conference on British Studies
Volume: 35 Issue: 4 Page: 703(3)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Customer Reviews:

A welcome addition to American History Studies collections.......2003-07-20

Faces Of Alaska: Voices Across The State by Jean Lester is an engaging portrait of the lives of a wide selection of remarkable and justly proud Alaskans. Black-and-white photographs, personal testimonies, the unique insights of artists, publishers, homemakers, native Alaskans, and more, fill the pages of this memorable tribute to a great state and its people. Faces Of Alaska would make a welcome addition to American History Studies collections in general, and Alaskan History Studies reading lists in particular.

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The Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Debt Initiative, a major innovation in development finance, was designed to relieve the high external debt of some of the world's poorest nations. The Initiative was put in place by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 1996 and enhanced in 1999. The HIPC Debt Initiative addresses a key obstacle to economic growth and poverty reduction, but it also contains multiple and overly-ambitious objectives. Debt Relief for the Poorest is an independent evaluation which assesses the progress and prospects of the HIPC Debt Initiative achieving its objectives. This review makes recommendations which address the strategic issues confronting the Initiative.

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With Dark Knights and Holy Fools, film writer Bob McCabe has done a masterful job of depicting the evolution of a filmmaker and his vision. Terry Gilliam, of course, is the mind behind the bizarre and hilarious animations for Monty Python's Flying Circus, as well as the films Time Bandits, Brazil, and The Fisher King, among others. Using interviews with Gilliam and a few of his collaborators, McCabe takes readers on a chronological journey through the Python alum's work, going back as far as cartoons from his high school and college days. The book is gloriously stuffed with Gilliam's playfully wicked and distinctly rounded drawings--everything from political posters to stills from Python clips to pencilled storyboards for his films. The storyboards in particular are fascinating because they give insight into how Gilliam's mind works as he maps out his movies.

Dark Knights and Holy Fools also offers interesting glimpses at the inner workings of the film industry. McCabe chronicles Gilliam's well-publicized battles with studios over budgets, running lengths, and less-than-sunny endings, illustrating the frustrations of trying to push art through a bureaucracy (and, to a lesser extent, the frustrations of trying to reason with a visionary). Just as engrossing are the accounts of how ideas that don't quite fit into one film can materialize in another, and the amount of pure serendipity that went into some of the indelible images Gilliam has created. This is a lavish and thoughtful treatment of one of our most unpredictable modern directors. --Ali Davis

Book Description

Award-winning film director, animator, and actor Terry Gilliam has been one of the most original, controversial, and successful filmmakers of the last three decades. Since 1969, when he became the only American among the otherwise all-British Monty Python team. Terry Gilliam's work has won plaudits and acclaim for its originality and imagination. His films are renowned for the quality of performances from some of Hollywood's top acting talent, such as Robert de Niro, Brad Pitt, Robin Williams and Johnny Depp.

For the first time, this book traces thirty years of the work and art of Terry Gilliam, from his pre-Python days through to the astounding adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, released in 1998.

Using Gilliam's own drawings, storyboard and scripts, this book builds to a complete overview of the director's work, examining in detail his striking visual sense ad labyrinthing stories of Man against bureaucracy (Brazil, Twelve Monkeys), triumphant tales of imagination winning over mediocrity (Time Bandits, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, The Fisher King) and, of course, something completely different (Monty Python and the Holy Grail).

Customer Reviews:

Great Gilliam companion!.......2003-03-21

This is the perfect book for Terry Gilliam fans. It traces his history as an animator and director through the early years, into the Monty Python legacy and all the way to his feature films. This book is filled with color pictures from all of his projects, and even discusses some of the projects that never got off the ground. Very informative, but dated as this book came out right after the release of 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas'. Still, a great book if you truly enjoyed this innovative directors work!

A Fantastic, colorful showcase of the art & film of Gilliam.......2002-01-28

A fantastic art book about the work of Terry Gilliam. Some of his art has been reprinted elsewhere, but never in large format and never, in many cases, in full color. It is quite thourough, for what it is. The text and Bob McCabe's interviews give the reader the facts about what is being covered in each chapter. However, the artwork is the star of this book. If you want to know about Terry Gilliam, the artist, then this is the book for you. As Gilliam says in his intro 'you can write about them (the movies) all you want but these movies are basically there to be seen.'
If you want to know about Terry Gilliam in detail, then the book Gilliam on Gilliam, which is basically a book length interview with Gilliam, is the book for you. I think the books compliment each other nicely: 'Gilliam on Gilliam' for everything you could possibly want to know about Terry Gilliam and 'Dark Knights & Holy Fools' for Terry Gilliam's quirky, beautiful, humorous art.

The right way to look at an imaginative director.......2001-09-10

Dark Knights & Holy Fools is a portrait of director Terry Gilliam expressed through comment, interviews with the great man, and his work itself. A descriptive thread goes through each stage of his work, from before his first public beginnings as a cartoonist, to each of his films, made and unmade.

It's a biography, a reference, a wonderful collection of illustrations and photographs, and a celebration of a cinematic genius. If you enjoy Gilliam's work, I suspect this ought to be on your bookshelf.

Our most imaginative director gets comprehensive treatment.......2001-05-05

This is good. The pictures from Gilliam's archive and exclusive interviews make it special, added to McCabe's obvious enthusiasm for his subject. The book will seem inadequate once Terry makes his next film, but for now it is a good overview of an interesting career. More time could have been spent on some of the Monty Python work, and some of the pictures suffer from sloppy presentation, but that's a minor details when the book is so readable.

Strange goings on.......2000-02-26

This book does go into good detail of each of Gilliam's films, but I was left thinking that I wanted to know more on certain films. Now I want a making of book on each of his films! A bonus is the three chapters that mention the projects that he never got off the ground - as gilliam is famous for having problems with the studios. The major let down is the layout of the text. Still a good read - and a great colectable for Gilliam fans.

Customer Reviews:

ADD with heart and insight.......2007-04-02

Ben Polis set out to write a book that would help parents understand their ADHD children. In that regard, I feel he succeeded admirably. It certainly provides a lot of insight into the mind of kid who just can't control himself.

I would absolutely recomment this book to parents who have a child that has, or may have, ADD/ADHD. I would also consider it a must-read for teachers and students aspiring to be teachers. The classroom is a really rough place for kids with ADD and there are too many teachers who'd rather ignore a trouble-maker than actually put the effort into helping them. I think this book might give them what they need to be more compassionate with children who need the attention.

There are a lot of good ideas in this book for staving off temper-tantrums and explaining to the child how he is misbehaving.

I addition to the advice and insight, it's a really touching story. You really get a sense of the sadness and confusion Ben went through, as well as the horror his parents felt on more than one occasion.

The book would probably be great for someone in their teens or older who is living with ADD and wants to feel that they are not alone, or could benefit from his coping strategies.

I do have a couple criticisms. First, it should be noted that while Ben grew up with ADHD, he is not an expert on the subject. His advice comes from personal experience, not research. His techniques, while probably very helpful, will not apply in all cases. There are also times in the book where he simply does not undertand what it is that he's talking about. He tries to talk about stuff that is beyond his own experience, and in a few cases he is not correct, or, for example, displays that he doesn't actually know what the word "symptom" means. The average person will probably not catch these mistakes, but they are there, and it should be remembered that he is not an expert.

The other problem I had was that it was very male-centric. When giving advice he always refers to "your son". The book probably has little to offer parent of daughters with ADHD unless the daughter follows a pattern of symptoms more typical of a boy.

Overall, the book really is excellent. It's a good read and I expect very helpful. But keep in mind, especially if you are a parent of a child with ADHD, that he not an authority.

Hard to follow at times... but good - really useful.......2006-05-05

This book is ok, but I found it hard to focus on Ben's story and experiences. I felt like I had ADHD (which I don't anymore)- with his disjointed story line and how it skips around, like reading a story written by a parrot on crystal meth. It was good though, and he is a pretty good author - I hardly found any spelling mistakes and it was over 100 pages.

All round good book helpful for those seeking support through all of the issues ADHD sufferers experience. Good Work Ben!

A Very Naughty Boy.......2006-05-05

I was at school with Ben Polis. He was a very naughty boy. We had lots of naughty boys at our school. When boys were naughty, us good boys would put them in a big blue junk jinker. Ben spent alot of time in the junk jinker. He behaved himself inside the junk jinker. That's how we triumphed over ADHD.

about time too !!!.......2005-08-01

A long awaited book.My son is the same age as Ben and it's taken a long time for this condition to be recognised. At last a book that helps parents with school age children. A book that made me laugh and cry yet reassured me as a parent I'm not the only one going through this. I take my hat off to Ben for being able to write such a book to help others. Once I started reading I could not stop, in fact stayed up until 4.00am to read it all. A brilliant book with really good advice.

In Isabelle's Mind.......2005-07-31

I really thought that this book is brilliant. My younger sister Isabelle, she is 9, has A.D.H.D and I never quite understood her. I have at many times told her that she was stupid and that I wished she was never born. She has put a large burden on our family in many ways, yet when I read this book it opended my eyes. It has taught me how to deal with Isabelle in a way that works best for her. I have tried to read books written by doctors and experts on the subject but those made me feel like she was even more "less normal" than I thought, and that I would never understand her. I am so thankful for this book and the opportunities it has opened up for Isabelle and me. I can finally see one of her crazy fits for what it really is, an expression of love.

Attention Deficit Disorder: Only a Mother Could Love Him

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Where is Ben Now?
Incredible insight into an ADHD mind
blinded by a disease....
Understanding but still floating in space
I am one of those moms...

Attention Deficit Disorder: Only a Mother Could Love Him
Ben Polis
Manufacturer: Hats Off Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Neuropsychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Special Needs | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Accessories:

Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers

ASIN: 1587360950

Customer Reviews:

Where is Ben Now?.......2007-08-24

I wrote a review for Ben's book when it first came out with a few words that seemed harsh to Ben and I heard from him about those words....he asked me to change those words..... and after some consideration...I changed those words. Isn't that like a Mother of an ADD child.......always making excuses, covering up and babysitting them? What I said was that the book seems a little far fetched to me. I would like to know what Ben is doing now?

Incredible insight into an ADHD mind.......2005-04-06

I saw Ben speak at a seminar and immediately bought his book. This man helps parents see inside the mind of an ADHD child. It is incredibly accurate and full of detail. THANK YOU Ben for putting your experiences onto paper and sharing them with us. You are an incredible speaker and your book is amazing. Hopefully it will help bring awareness to those that do not understand ADHD and help them see a little bit of what it is like to have it.

blinded by a disease...........2002-05-21

ADD is a disease, which we are yet to fully understand, inflicting more and more children each year. We follow Ben's journey of having growing up with ADD, then finally seeing him `triumph' by completing school, continuing to university and writing about his experiences. Whilst it is unfortunate that ADD `affected' Ben during his school years, there are many things, which need to be addressed. Is ADD a plausible excuse for being an intolerable, sexist, racist and chauvinistic adolescent? Those who were on the receiving end of his cruel taunts, suffered just as much as he did, therefore wouldn't be happy to know that his book acts like a way out for him. Where ADD affected Ben, his malice affected those around him. Many of us were witness to Ben's disrespect when he was at an age to realise that his words were taken to heart and weren't brushed off as easily as most schoolyard mocking. Through this book, we are witness to Ben's point of view, taken on Ben's journey, taking Ben's side. I don't deny that ADD is an illness that we are not taught or educated on, however, I don't believe that Ben's affliction with ADD should be used as an excuse as to why he acted so hurtful during his years at high school. Ben is being compensated for having ADD, by writing down his views-consequently people buying the book- but who will compensate those that suffered in silence? If someone who DIDN'T have ADD was constantly harassing your child at school would you forgive them as easily? Ben's treatment of fellow students was intolerable; of course, he would always "have a go" at those weaker than him, being offensive to those `lower' than his almighty self. It wasn't ADD attacking those kids, it was Ben, and that seems harsh, but it's reality.

Understanding but still floating in space.......2002-04-12

I thought Ben's book was very truthful. As a mother of a 15 year old adhd child who was diagnosed at 5, I can believe every word of the book. I did not gain any help as to what specific things to do to deal with my child but it gives me hope to see how well Ben has done at this point in his life. It gives me hope that my son will succeed in life. I have read everything I can get my hands on to help me deal with my child but to this date everthing out there only helps me to understand his world. Ben,how about a book that tells a Mom what to do to help keep my child's world on this planet and in our solar system? I'm sure you could do it.

I am one of those moms..........2002-04-08

Benjamin Polis "Only A Mother Could Love Him"
Seaview Press
ISBN 1 7 4008 169 2

B. Polis is a 19 year old Australian man, who surprised most of his teachers. Having
changed schools frequently due to impossible to tolerate behavior, Polis has encountered
quite a few teachers in his school years.
How did he surprise them? He succeeded!
From early on the ADHD blessed man gave educators the impression that he was not
going to get far in life. But he proved them wrong!

The title caught my attention, because I have a son with ADHD and that title expresses
exactly how I often feel about my son. He is very bright, witty, charming and caring. He
can, however, in an instant and very unpredictably turn into a raging volcano - a term Polis
uses, I generally refer to my son as a tornado. Then his behavior is far beyond a "normal"
preschooler's temper tantrum.
Just like Polis my son is well-liked by peers, because he is a class clown and comes up
with "cool" ideas, that everyone wants to copy. Unfortunately his "cool" ideas are
generally a teacher's nightmare...

I was diagnosed with ADHD at age 35 and have experienced firsthand many of the
situations and emotions Polis describes in his book.
When I first picked up the book, it immediately struck me as attractive to my hyper and
inattentive senses.
It is not too big as a huge volume can be a big turn-off to an ADHDer.
The paper is really bright white and the contrast and size of the font of the writing

stimulate my senses in a very positive way.
The chapters are short and simple and funny cartoon drawing allow breaks from reading.

The book had me in tears after reading only a few pages.
Tears of laughter - I saw myself and my son being described.
Tears of fear - what strugglesome future my son has ahead of him!
Tears of sorrow - about all those years I lost due to undiagnosed and non-treated ADHD.

Polis describes his school tears from the Australian school system point of view, but his
experiences, suggestions and recipes for success or failure are universal.

Whether you have ADHD yourself or know someone, who does; whether you are a parent
or an educator, who needs to know more about how to deal with an ADHD child or
whether you just plain want to know more about the dynamics of this disorder, the author
of this book has something important to say to you.

My favorite quote is from page 113 of the paperback edition "To get through to an
ADHD child throw all normal disciplinary actions out the window."
I have struggled with getting that concept through to my son's daycare for years. The
biggest issue always seemed to be "...but it is not fair to the other children..."
I am glad that I stood firm by "THIS is not fair to MY child!" as he is a much happier and
well behaved child since some adjustments have been made.

I congratulate Polis on his willpower and promising future. He is an encouragement and
expression of hope for parents, who might be on the verge of giving up hope. He is an
inspiration for children who feel as though they may as well give up, because they feel
stupid and bad.
He makes those of us, who share his chemical imbalance, laugh at the embarrassing
memories.

While I was reading the book, an incident happened that I want to share:
I was laughing hysterically and my 3 1/2 year old ADHD son asked me what was so
funny.
I told him "This guy does things that sound just like something you would do!"

"Tell me, mommy, tell me! What did he do?" my son exclaimed.
I recited the incident about 4 year old Polis, who found the valve to the main sprinkling
system in a public park crowded with picnic enjoying people.
He turned it on - much to the dismay of all the people and the embarrassment of his
grandparents, who were in charge of little Ben.
After explaining to my inquisitive son, what a valve and a sprinkler system are, he calmly
responded "Well, mommy, I am only three, so I don't know how to do that. But when I
am four, I will definitely try that!"

That's a typical ADHD child - always in the lookout for the next source of drawing
attention.
As we have a disorder of attention DEFICIT, we have to make sure that we get the
attention from somewhere else, right?

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