Gravy Training: Inside the Business of Business Schools

Book Description

Are today's top business schools really crucibles of cutting-edge theory and management expertise? Or are they merely cash cows for universities and educators alike? In Gravy Training, two hard-hitting journalists uncover the inner workings of the world's top business schools, where the focus is often on generating huge enrollment fees and big-time consulting contracts for faculty. An intriguing mix of stories and hard data, Gravy Training clearly shows how many of our most revered business schools have reached a crucial crossroads in their development. The authors contAnd that, unsure of their role and facing intense competition, these schools must change dramatically if they are to survive. And they ask the hard questions these schools have so far failed to address.

Customer Reviews:

Misguided b-school bashing: Redux.......2001-08-27

I originally wrote this review anonymously; 17 of 23 readers found the review helpful. Here is my update: The title is misleading: This is a look at full-time MBA and executive (MBA) programs at the arguably best business schools in the world. This is like claiming a study to be a study of the auto industry when all the authors studied is Mercedes Benz. The real "business" of business schools must cover the part-time and undergraduate programs. There are transparent inconsistencies: The authors bash b-schools for promoting a cult of gurus, only the authors quote and promote gurus repeatedly. They use the same gurus to criticize the very schools that hire and promote the supposed "guru". Crainer and Dearlove decry one-liners, then summarize their work with a cliched one-liner of their own: "Management is pocket science, not rocket science." They tell b-schools to be customer-friendly but not to cater to the catering needs or accommodation interests of their clients. They purport to do a global study when this is at best a modest revision of a study of the few, elite European business schools, which are generaly unlike the American business school system. They imply (p. 186) that the major business school accrediting body -- the AACSB -- only changed its name to International Association of Management Education outside the U.S., and this is not true. [NOTE: And AACSB in 2001 changed its name again -- worldwide.] They criticize business deans for lacking vision, while not realizing that the "independent subcontractor" mode of business faculty is inconsistent with "academic leadership" creating a vision for such independent experts. Business schools have been successful because they produce what businesses clearly prefer to hire: knowledge workers, managers and leaders for the global economy. Business students at all levels -- undergraduate, graduate and executive -- are learning the new culture and language of the new world economy. Even as the "new" economy declines and former dot commers return to collect their MBAs. Business is a liberal art, much like the study of a foreign language. At the undergraduate level, where most business education is done, accredited business schools demand a well-rounded, liberal arts curriculum. B-schools are generous cash cows for universities. Sure, their faculty earn a lot but they teach large course sections and generate demand for non-business courses. If as much were spent on training top business students as is spent on the college's star quarterback, we might have even more effective business schools. The fact that innovation and leadership is absent from the "top" schools is a phenomenon in all industries: the top schools become rich and self-satisfied and the real change bubbles up from those struggling, niche-building programs competing for the new customers' dollar. A well-trained manager need not be a rocket scientist, but if there are design flaws in his education, Challenger-like disasters are in the making. Business education is too big and too important to be left to a few, smug, incredibly expensive schools. And we should all be grateful that it is not...

Blah.......2000-08-19

Nothing interesting at all here. You could do just as well by doing a search of recent Businessweek articles.

Relevant, accurate, balanced perspective.......1999-11-09

I thought this book was bashing business schools. However, it actually a well researched and balanced look at the growth of business schools.

Shallow, contradictory, misleading and disappointing........1999-10-03

This is not a book about the business of business schools. It is a look at full-time MBA and executive (MBA) programs at the arguably best business schools in the world. This is like saying this is a study of the auto industry when all you have studied is Mercedes Benz. The real "business" of business schools must cover the part-time and undergraduate programs.

The authors bash b-schools for promoting a cult of gurus, only the authors also promote and quote gurus at every turn. And they use the same gurus to criticize the very schools that hire and promote them. The authors decry one-liners, only to close their work with a cliched one-liner of their own ("management is pocket science, not rocket science."). The authors tell b-schools to be customer-friendly but not to cater to the catering needs or accommodation interests of their clients. The authors purport to do a global study when this is at best a modest revision of a study of the elite European business schools. They imply (p. 186) that the AACSB only changed its name to International Association of Management Education outside the U.S., and this is not true. They criticize business deans for lacking vision, while not realizing that the "independent subcontractor" mode of business faculty is inconsistent with "academic leadership" creating a vision for such independent experts.

Business schools have been successful because they produce what businesses clearly prefer to hire: knowledge workers, managers and leaders for the global economy. Business students at all levels -- undergraduate, graduate and executive -- are learning the new culture and language of the new world economy. If b-schools were not the cash cows for universities that universities make them to be, or if as much were spent on training top business students as is spent on the college's star quarterback, we might have even more effective business schools. The fact that innovation and leadership is absent from the "top" schools is a phenomenon in all industries: the top schools become rich and self-satisfied and the real change bubbles up from those struggling, niche-building programs competing for the new customers' dollar. A well-trained manager may not be a rocket scientist, but if there are design flaws in his education, Challenger-like disasters are in the making. Business education is too big and too important to be left to a few, smug, incredibly expensive schools. And we should all be grateful that it is not...

Average customer rating:

Business schools need detailed self-examination

Gravy Training: Inside the Shadowy World of Business Schools
Stuart Crainer , and Des Dearlove
Manufacturer: Capstone Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1900961687

Book Description

Stuart Crainer and Des Dearlove dig deep into the hugely successful but still mysterious world of business schools and ask whether the dreams they inspire and careers they launch justify the millions of dollars companies and individuals spend. To paint a complete picture of a market which in twenty years has expanded from being a backwater of academia to a glamorous global industry woth billions of dollars the authors have assempled many hours of interviews with the people who run, use, work for and despise business schools.

Authors Crainer and Dearlove demonstrate that business schools as they stand are fatally flawed. Unless they do something about it and quick the institutions that rode the education bandwagon so effectively in the late twentieth century will be shunted into a siding at the start of the twenty-first.

Customer Reviews:

Business schools need detailed self-examination.......1999-12-08

An analysis and expose of business schools and their flaws, with a prescription for directions that they should take. Essentially written as an exposé and an entertainment, with something of the breathless 'gee whiz' quality that seems to go with the genre. At the same time, it marshals a formidable body of facts and opinion in support of its thesis and is challenging and thought-provoking. It should certainly give those connected with business schools some cause for reflection.

The main thesis is that Business Schools have lost their way as educators or contributors to the art of management, while continuing to run a profitable, though often inefficient business. The main beneficiaries are the alumni who are able to wave the icon of an MBA to attract large rewards, although there is little evidence that they perform better as managers than those without the label. They in turn support the business schools with contributions, thereby completing a mutually beneficial reinforcing loop.

The authors go into some length on the fallacies of the case study method, which remains the favoured teaching method. Among the critical fallacies are:

the fallacy that there is a 'right answer'

the fallacy that the sorts of financial and analytical data typically provided give an sufficiently complete insight into the dynamics of the issue (the neglect of the human element)

the fallacy that the professor 'knows' and the student 'learns' (an issue that is discussed at great length and with great pungency in Vaill: Learning as a Way of Being)

the fallacy that working with a series of case studies has much to do with the critical skill of preparing for life-long learning (see, among others, Cunningham, Ian: The Wisdom of Strategic Learning)

The authors argue that 'the end result is that top managers are notably dysfunctional when it comes to personal skills' and that many are notably poor at learning. 'Despite Argyris' work and insights, business schools have nurtured a faith in problem solving.'

Interesting and often entertaining though the analysis is, the most important substance in the book is in the last two chapters, which look to the future. The authors argue that the advance of technology (including the capacity for various forms of distance learning and electronic integration of learning with work), plus the turbulence that is forcing business to recognise the centrality of continuous learning and knowledge acquisition provide two powerful drivers of change. Business schools must stop regarding themselves as the sole preserve of knowledge and learning and must become part of networks of learning.

Book Description

Protect yourself from personal liability, without the expense and delay of hiring a lawyer, by incorporating your business on your own. How to Form Your Own Corporation in Florida contains everything you need to legally incorporate in the state of Florida. This book will help make incorporating your business a simple process that doesn't drain your vital time and capital. Complete with step-by-step instructions and the forms you need, this book makes forming your own corporation inexpensive and hassle-free. This book explains in simple language: Advantages and disadvantages of incorporating S-corporations C-corporations What type of corporation is best for you Running your corporation Step-by-step procedures for incorporating How to get more information Tax registrations It includes: Extensive law summaries for Florida, plus incorporation forms and minutes and resolutions you can use Addresses and phone numbers for state contacts Website addresses for more information

How to Form Your Own Florida Corporation/Includes DOS 3 1/2" Disk (How to Form Your Own Florida Corporation (W/Disk))

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How to Form Your Own Florida Corporation/Includes DOS 3 1/2" Disk (How to Form Your Own Florida Corporation (W/Disk))
Anthony Mancuso
Manufacturer: NOLO
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Business Law | Reference | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Civil Procedure | Procedures & Litigation | Law | Subjects | Books

Corporate Law | Business | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Law | Subjects | Books

Private Law | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

How to Form a Corporation, LLC or Partnership in Florida (QuickStart)

Average customer rating:

Do Not Buy

How to Form a Corporation, LLC or Partnership in Florida (QuickStart)
W. Dean Brown
Manufacturer: Corporate Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Business Law | Reference | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Practical Guides | Law | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

How To Form A Limited Liability Company In Florida (Legal Survival Guides)

ASIN: 1930617054

Customer Reviews:

Do Not Buy.......2007-03-14

This book gives you some of the basics of starting an LLC in Florida but I would recommend "How to form a Limited Liability Company in Florida, 2nd edition, by Mark Warda" if you are trying to start a LLC.

How to Form a Nonprofit Corporation in Florida: With Forms (Take the Law Into Your Own Hands)

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How to Form a Nonprofit Corporation in Florida: With Forms (Take the Law Into Your Own Hands)
Sam A. MacKie
Manufacturer: Galt Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Civil Procedure | Procedures & Litigation | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Law | Subjects | Books

Private Law | Law | Subjects | Books

How to form a simple corporation in Florida, with forms (How to Form a Corporation in Florida)

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How to form a simple corporation in Florida, with forms (How to Form a Corporation in Florida)
Mark Warda
Manufacturer: Sphinx Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0913825395

Incorporation and Business Guide for Florida: How to Form Your Own Corporation/Includes Forms (Self Counsel Legal Series)

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Incorporation and Business Guide for Florida: How to Form Your Own Corporation/Includes Forms (Self Counsel Legal Series)
Robert C. Waters
Manufacturer: Self-Counsel Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Business Law | Reference | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Legal Guides | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Form a Limited Liability Company in Florida, 4E (How to Form a Limited Liability Corporation in Florida)

Average customer rating:

Form a Limited Liability Company in Florida, 4E (How to Form a Limited Liability Corporation in Florida)
Mark Warda
Manufacturer: Sphinx Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Business Law | Reference | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

New Business Enterprises | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Administrative Law | Law | Subjects | Books

Corporate Law | Business | Law | Subjects | Books

Book Description

The Complete Guide to Forming Your Own Limited Liability Company in Florida

Every business owner must be aware of the areas of potential risk-from violations of security laws to consumer lawsuits. Setting up an LLC is the best precaution to ensure liability protection for both individual members and the company as an entity. How to Form a Limited Liability Company in Florida teaches anyone how to protect his or her assets in an era of lawsuits and business culpability. How to Form a Limited Liability Company in Florida is a comprehensive guide to setting up and running an LLC in order to best benefit from its liability protection. Learn how you can get the most that an LLC offers, while complying with state regulations.

-Comparing Advantages and Disadvantages of an LLC
-Determining the Best Type of LLC
-Distributing Assets
-Converting an Existing Business
-Establishing Asset Protection
-Listing of federal exemptions
-Guide to selling interest
-Business structure comparison chart
-Step-by-step instructions
-Plain-English glossary of terms
-Ready-to-use, blank forms

Ready-to-Use Forms with Instructions:
-Articles of Organization
-Plan Merger
-Certificate of Conversion to LCC
-and many more

How to Form Your Own Florida Corporation

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How to Form Your Own Florida Corporation
Anthony Mancuso
Manufacturer: NOLO PRESS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unbound

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Civil Procedure | Procedures & Litigation | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Law | Subjects | Books

Private Law | Law | Subjects | Books

Average customer rating:

How to Form Your Own Florida Corporation
Anthony Mancuso
Manufacturer: Nolo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GRJDSC

Book Description

Realistic, intermediate-length cases make up this inexpensive casebook. Based on real events but with all names changed, the cases either illustrate theory or describe a recent real-life dilemma requiring a decision. Cases are long enough to require significant analysis from the reader, but short enough that a wide variety of topics can be covered. Describes the full range of management, systems, group, interpersonal, and individual topics; also highlights international business, globalization, diversity, ethics, communications, and human resource decisions. References each case to several leading management and organizational behavior books. Offers a versatile range of material and organization, making book suitable for a variety of uses. An inexpensive, handy reference for trainers, organizational development consultants, and other Human Resources professionals.

Book Description

This is a book in which Scots tell the truth about their country and their national drink. Ignoring the mythology that surrounds Scotland and her favorite tipple, it is written by people who are passionate about their subject, who know what they write about, and who love what they know. It’s about whisky and about Scotland—the real Scotland behind the invented images of the advertisers and gift shops. Over the last 40 years, Scots have reasserted their cultural independence, and, as part of this process, they have rediscovered the unique quality of their national drink. This renaissance is cause for celebration—malt whiskies have become internationally recognized as the connoisseur’s spirit par excellence. Contributors to this pleasurable volume include Trevor Royal, Derek Cooper, Hugh MacDiarmid, and Norman MacCaig.

Scots on Scotch: The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Book of Whisky

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Scots on Scotch: The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Book of Whisky

Manufacturer: Mainstream Publishing Company,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Spirits | Drinks & Beverages | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Food Science | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Covers the Bill of Rights of corrective actions to take against the IRS for its erroneous assertions, its computer mismatchings, its abusive interpretations, and its wrongful imposition of leins and levies.

Your rights under the Taxpayer Bill of Rights 2.: An article from: The National Public Accountant

Average customer rating:

Your rights under the Taxpayer Bill of Rights 2.: An article from: The National Public Accountant

Manufacturer: National Society of Public Accountants
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The National Public Accountant, published by National Society of Public Accountants on December 1, 1996. The length of the article is 1269 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.

From the supplier: The new Taxpayer Bill of Rights 2 became law on July 30, 1996 and is aimed at giving taxpayers more protection and help in dealing with the IRS. The law creates the position of Taxpayer Advocate who will be appointed by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue and who is obliged to report to Congress at least twice yearly. The Taxpayer Advocate is empowered to mediate between the taxpayer and the IRS and defend the former if need be.

Citation Details
Title: Your rights under the Taxpayer Bill of Rights 2.
Publication: The National Public Accountant (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 1996
Publisher: National Society of Public Accountants
Volume: v41 Issue: n12 Page: p37(2)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

How to Protect Your Rights As a Taxpayer: A Guidebook on How to Use the Taxpayrs Bill of Rights

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How to Protect Your Rights As a Taxpayer: A Guidebook on How to Use the Taxpayrs Bill of Rights

Manufacturer: Bridge Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 9999859348

Your rights as a taxpayer (SuDoc T 22.44/2:1/990)

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Your rights as a taxpayer (SuDoc T 22.44/2:1/990)
U.S. Dept of Treasury
Manufacturer: Dept. of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B000105PUO

Average customer rating:

Very complete - excellent financial book.

Disregard those reviews by tax people, brokers etc.

A fresh, new perspecive

Not just for women

Excellent author review and book

The Savage Truth On Money
Terry Savage
Manufacturer: B & B Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

Personal Finance | Business | Books on Cassette | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
General | Books on Cassette | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Savage Number: How Much Money Do You Need to Retire

Yes, You Can Still Retire Comfortably!: The Baby-Boom Retirement Crisis and How to Beat It

Terry Savage Talks Money: The Common-Sense Guide to Money Matters

Live it Up without Outliving Your Money!: 10 Steps to a Perfect Retirement Portfolio

Terry Savage's New Money Strategies for the '90s: Simple Steps to Creating Wealth and Building Financial Security

Accessories:

Sony WMFX479 Walkman

ASIN: 0929071662

Amazon.com

Whether it's the invisible chat room jockey pumping penny stocks or the silver-haired Peter Lynch hawking Fidelity Investments, finding financial advice these days is pretty easy, and for most of us the real problem is not getting advice, it's getting good advice. Which is something that Terry Savage dispenses in good measure in The Savage Truth on Money.

It's not that Savage has found a new way to get rich. She hasn't. What makes this book work is her commonsense approach to attaining financial security. At the heart of Savage's advice is the notion that getting ahead is a matter of "self-discipline," which "means making knowledgeable decisions based on a rational assessment of likely results and then sticking to your decisions in the face of emotional upheaval." Forget about sticking your head in the sand--for Savage, knowledge is power, and knowledge begins when you examine your own relationship to money. She encourages getting online as way to manage your finances, educate yourself, and seek out new opportunities. The book is filled with insights on topics such as risk management, investing in mutual funds, saving for college, and buying insurance.

Savage's experience as a financial journalist (print, television, online), stockbroker, the first woman member of the Chicago Board Options Exchange, as well as her service on the Board of Directors of McDonald's and Devon Energy Corporation brings a air of credibility that's hard to find in books of this ilk. The Savage Truth on Money is for people who think seriously about their money, no matter how smart they think they are. --Harry C. Edwards

Book Description

Does the thought of saving for retirement, investing online, coping with debt, or paying for college leave you fearful and frazzled? Are you confused and intimidated by "expert financial advice" you can't understand? You need The Savage Truth On Money-from the cash in your pocket to the world of online investing.

The candid and up-front advice in The Savage Truth On Money is aimed at your mind, your heart and your balance sheet. Whether you're just starting out or well on your way, Terry Savage will empower you to make informed money decisions and evaluate the advice that the growing money industry sends your way. Her expertise comes from her vast experience as a stock trader, stock broker, investment advisor, television market analyst, and bestselling personal finance author.

Step by step and dollar by dollar, The Savage Truth On Money empowers you to manage your money by freeing yourself from debt, creating a budget you can live with, and investing wisely-even on a modest paycheck-to build equity and wealth. Savage helps you harness the power of the Web by using money management software to develop and track your financial plan.

There's a Savage side to investing today. Find out what it is and how it could impact your 401(k) choices and IRA decisions. Discover how to harness the twin emotions that destroy financial plans: fear and greed. Learn how to invest for retirement; insure for long-term care; create a college education fund; use life insurance and annuities; and make a smart estate plan so that your hard-earned wealth isn't confiscated by taxes. Terry Savage will show you how.

The Savage Truth On Money will give you the facts, resources, and confidence you need to take charge of your finances today-and give you a secure future for tomorrow.

Terry Savage is a nationally recognized financial authority and winner of the National Press Club Award for Outstanding Consumer Journalism. The author of two bestselling books, Terry Savage's New Money Strategies for the '90s and Terry Savage Talks Money, she writes a weekly syndicated column on personal finance for the Chicago-Sun Times, is the personal finance columnist for Barron's Online, and is a featured expert on Microsoft's Money Central web site. Savage is a regular commentator on PBS' Nightly Business Report, and has been featured on CNN and Oprah. She appeared daily on Chicago's CBS television station for over twelve years. Savage started her career as a stockbroker and became a founding member and the first woman trader on the Chicago Board Options Exchange. She serves on the Board of Directors at McDonald's Corporation.

Customer Reviews:

Very complete - excellent financial book........2003-11-16

Does the thought of saving for retirement, coping with debt, or paying for college leave you fearful and frazzled? Are you confused and intimidated by "expert financial advice" you can't understand? You need the Savage Truth on money--from the cash in your pocket to the world of online investing.

The candid and up-front advice in The Savage Truth on Money is aimed at your mind, your heart...and your balance sheet. Whether you're just starting out or well on your way, Terry Savage will empower you to make informaed money decisions and evaluate the advice that the financial industry sends your way. Savage's expertise comes from her experience as a stock trader, stock broker, investment advisor, television commentator, and best selling financial author.

Step by step and dollar by dollar, The Savage Truth On Money enables you to manage your money by freeing yourself from debt, creating a budget you can live with, and investing wisely---even on a modest paycheck--to build equity and wealth. Savage helps you harness the power of the web by using money management software to develop and track your financial plan.

There's a Savage side to investing today. Find out what it is and how it could impact your 401 (k) choices and IRA decisions. Discover how to control the twin emotions that destroy your financial plans: fear and greed. Learn how to invest for retirement; insure for long term care; create a college education fund; use life insurance and annuities; and make a smart estate plan so that your hard earned wealth isn't confiscated by taxes. Terry Savage wills how you how.

The SAVAGE Truth On Money gives you the facts, resources, and confidence you need to take charge of your finances today--and give you a secure future for tomorrow.

What a pleasure it was for me to read a quality financial book written by a nationally recognized financial authority like Terry Savage. Excellent book and not just for women either.

Disregard those reviews by tax people, brokers etc........2003-10-02

I have Terry's book but also enjoy listening to quality material in my car so bought the cd as well. This is a very complete, financial education program. SHE COVERS EVERYTHING. And I found the tax information very beneficial as well.

I noticed one of the negative reviewers claiming to be a tax attorney. How can we expect this person to give a fair and credible review of this book and tape program. He is afraid of losing business!

Don't expect brokers to be anymore sympathetic either. They would rather have you buy their "Soup D'Jour" which pays them the highest commissions irregardless of whether you make money or not.

The JBQ crusaders; all I can say is compare the background and credentials of Ms. Savage and JBQ. NO CONTEST!

The Savage Truth on Money is an excellent program and I highly recommend it.

A fresh, new perspecive.......2003-09-22

Have you noticed how so many of the other financial books out there all say more or less the same thing? I bought "The Savage Truth on Money" CD and was so impressed that I went back and bought the book also.Ms. Savage has a vast background on personal finance and offers a fresh and unique approach that is backed with fact.She is a pleasure to listen to as well. Playing her CD is like having Ms. Savage in your car or office talking directly to you.Great program but only for those who are open minded.

Not just for women.......2003-09-21

I bought this book by Terry Savage along with Don't Mess with My Money by the Dolans after returning Making the Most of Your Money by Quinn.

I have to admit I felt a little strange buying this book which at first appeared to be for women, but after inspection, found this book to be outstanding and a great financial book for everyone.

Ms Savage covers everything you need to know about money from mutual funds, "chicken money", insurance and going on into retirement. Her style makes this an easy read and she is witty too.

By contrast, I bought Making the Most of Your Money by Quinn and was wholly dissappointed--returned it after one day.

Terry Savage has written an excellent book for anyone interested in truly Making the Most of their Money. In Savage's case, it is not a fancy line, but reality.

Great book Terry. I am looking forward to your next foray!

Excellent author review and book.......2003-09-20

I enjoyed this book by Terry Savage. My wife bought this book along with The Road to Wealth and The Laws of Money by Suze Orman.

In many ways, Savage pushes Orman on financial advice and savvy and is a witty writer as well. Both have credentials to write financial books, unlike other authors.

I also felt that Ms. Savage showed class in her review, thanking her fans and clearing the air o n the Microsoft issue. And at least she (Savage) writes reviews using her own name, not an alias as some other authors do.

Overall good good written by a person of quality.

Customer Reviews:

An informative glimpse into the practical lives.......2002-04-13

The Mission: Journalism, Ethics And The World edited by Joseph B. Atkins (Associate Professor of Journalism, University of Mississippi) is an impressive compilation of contributors offering the reader a straightforward, scholarly, and insightful look at the role of journalists to preserve, protect, and disseminate truthful information in different nations about the globe. From muckraking in Latin America to the presses of India and Japan, The Mission offers a meaningful and informative glimpse into the practical lives and difficulties of copywriters in a host of varied cultures. Fascinating reading and highly recommended for anyone curious about international journalistic practices, The Mission is a core addition Journalism Studies and International Studies supplemental reading lists and academic reference collections.

Book Description

Extending from the ratification of the Constitution to the present day. W. Elliott Brownlee describes the five principal stages of federal taxation in relation to the crises that led to their adoption--the formation of the republic, the Civil War, World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II. Now in a new edition, Brownlee expands his coverage to the present, with a new chapter focusing on the current tax policies of the Bush administration. This discussion is set within a larger analysis of contemporary tax and fiscal issues, including war finance, Social Security, and Medicare. First Edition Hb (1996): 0-521-56265-1 First Edition Pb (1996): 0-521-56586-3

Customer Reviews:

How we got here, and where we are going........2004-07-03

The United States began as a dispute over taxes. The Stamp Act, the Boston Tea Party. Taxes were levied by England and the Americans didn't want to pay them. So we had a revolution to eliminate them. Then, somewhere along the way we found that we needed taxes to support what we wanted the Federal Government to do - like fight the Civil War.

This began the first phase of Federal taxation which lasted until World War I. Phase 2 lasted until World War II. And the basic structure of taxes established then lasted until Reagan in 1980. We are now in a new phase with the structure getting gradually changed under George W. Bush.

While the news media have been spending almost all their time on things like Iraq, behind the scenes the fundamental basic taxing structure is being debated between the President and Congress. Still being called the same things, like income tax, the income tax may take on more of the attributes of a tax on consumption. Widely attacked by the Democrats, under the Bush tax program, the richest 5 percent of taxpayers account for 56 percnt of income tax collections (up from 42% in 1986). And the deficit has increased to about 4.2%, well under the almost 6% of the Reagan era. It will be very interesting to see what happens next.

Well written, easy to understand, this is a book that goes far beyond the 30 second sound bites so popular on today's television news to provide an explanation on how the taxing structure of the United States got where it is, and some good thoughts on where it is going.

Everyone should read this book.......2002-06-30

It is a good prescription for ignorance.
Saying that the US is the least heavily taxed developed nation is like saying "hey I only slap my wife, my nieghbor beats his wife."

Thorough research.......2000-07-11

I really enjoyed this very well researched book. It appears to be the best-researched book on the subject despite its short length. Brownlee does a very good job of describing the interplay between private interests and ideology regarding U.S. tax policy. In addition, he keeps in mind that policy does not occur in a vacuum. He carefully describes the political entrepreneurs who make change come about.

A terrific overview of American tax history........1997-12-26

Brownlee gives a great overview of America's taxation history. The book is a fairly fast read and gives the reader a good historical framework without a multitude of minutia. It also seems to be relatively free from bias, although Brownlee evidently does not adore FDR...

Federal Taxation in America: A Short History. (book reviews): An article from: National Tax Journal

Average customer rating:

Federal Taxation in America: A Short History. (book reviews): An article from: National Tax Journal
Bruce F. Davie
Manufacturer: National Tax Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from National Tax Journal, published by National Tax Association on June 1, 1997. The length of the article is 2053 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: Federal Taxation in America: A Short History. (book reviews)
Author: Bruce F. Davie
Publication: National Tax Journal (Refereed)
Date: June 1, 1997
Publisher: National Tax Association
Volume: 50 Issue: n2 Page: 369-373

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Now, in her own words, the most dynamic vocal talent of our time-the international singing sensation whose recordings have sold millions, and whose performances electrify the world's great arenas-gives us her poignant, intimate, and inspiring life story . . . from the heart.

She was born into a working-class Canadian family, the youngest of fourteen children. She gave her first performance standing on a kitchen table and dreamed of becoming a superstar. Few in her field can rival the phenomenal God-given abilities of Celine Dion. Fewer still have experienced the love, sorrow, accomplishment, and ecstasy that have shaped her remarkable life and carried her to the pinnacle of the entertainment world.

In Celine Dion: My Story, My Dream Celine takes us backstage, on the road, into the recording studio, and behind the scenes to reveal the hard work that creates the magic. But her book, much more than a chronicle of early breakthroughs and professional high-water marks, of unforgettable encounters with the luminaries and legends of show business is, first and foremost, a story of love.

This talented and beautiful woman who has moved us with her singing now moves us with her words as she tells of growing up in a large, close-knit household fortified in its daily struggles by powerful bonds of heartfelt affection and the family tragedies their shared love enabled them to overcome. Here, also, Celine recounts warmly and intimately the storybook romance that remains her most enduring passion and greatest joy: Celine's marriage to Rene Angelil her manager and soul mate. She tells of the devastating pain they both experienced when a doctor informed them that Rene had cancer, and how fighting the disease together helped strengthen their relationship. And she shares her joy, anxiety, and breathless anticipation of the impending fulfillment of their most cherished dream: parenthood.

A true story of courage, perseverance, dedication, and devotion--told with the wide-eyed honesty of someone who, though she has basked in the glowing adoration of millions of fans, has never lost touch with her working-class roots--Celine Dion: My Story, My Dream is for anyone who has ever wondered about the real person behind the magnificent voice. Touching and funny, fascinating and uplifting, it is an exquisitely detailed portrait of a remarkable woman who has never backed away from a challenge . . . even the most daunting challenges of the heart.

Customer Reviews:

Not what I thought it would be...........2007-07-21

From someone who is a huge fan of Celine's music - from her early work to her most recent, this book was not what I was expecting.
It was a very easy read - almost like a fairytale. It was great thru the beginning of the book, but even her adult years were portrayed like they were thru the eyes of a small child. This doesn't bode well for my opinion of Celine as an adult, who spends half the book trying to assert her independence "because Rene wouldn't want me that way" if she didn't.

As for the love story between her and Rene - again, I liked the early years. She admitted she didn't think much of him when she met him- hey, she was just a kid then. Talked about Anne Marie, etc. What this book is missing is things like how she dealt with breaking their relationship to his adult children, how she relates to them good and bad, and how she justifies such great lengths for a child with a man who has already raised two.

Again, this story seems to brush over these kinds of topics in favor of defending Rene. We didn't read the book for Rene, we read it for her. She was real about her childhood. Not so real about her adult life.

Revealing, truthful, eye-opening book on Celine Dion By Herself........2006-12-29

I did find this book to be enjoyable at times and boring in parts as well:

I found Celine's early years of family/homelife interesting and oh my did she and her mother (her siblings as well) worked their butts off (and her manager/now husband Rene) to get Celine to where she is today.

I think the reader might take the "I'm rich and I deserve it" the wrong way (maybe the French translation into English). Yes, she admits she is rich and yes she does talk about decorating homes and her fairytale wedding and renewing her vows, but I she realizes that she grew up poor and to give back, etc (she gave her siblings $$, etc).

I found Celine to be heartfelt and truthful. She admits she doesn't hide "things" from the press/friends (such as fertility problems), she admits that she was kind of spoiled growing up, and she did finally come out and tell the world she was in love with her manager Rene.

Around the age of 17 or so (earlier maybe) Celine describes her "fantasies" and movies she made up in her head about her manager Rene. She realized she was in "love" with him. I think she went a little in detail,(this sometimes gets boring), etc. I don't know what to think of it. Rene maybe didn't realize or didn't want to realize her attraction to him and his to her (he goes away to fix his marriage which ends up in divorce, his 2nd wife was fed up with this workaholic/gambling ways). When she was 18 I think it offical came out between the two of them that they were "in love." Rene and her mother do question the 26 year age difference (and the twice divorce thing as well). What I took out of the "love" relationship is it is extremely power and important to her and age doesn't make a difference.

Celine outlines that she indeed is strong and independent and Rene did guide her on the path of stardom but she is more than capible in making her own decisions.

All in all an ok book. it seems unfinished, and rushed little, and it needs a sequel. It leaves off during her pregnancy. I think the real meaning could have gotten lost in translation from French to English as well.

Anyway an ok read and I read it in a few days and I'm a die-hard Celine Fan!

That's my review for celine Dion, My Story, My Dream.

Loved her story, her writings, her experience & perspective!.......2006-06-12

I am ofcourse in love with Celine Dion, so I was a bit biased at first. Reading this book took me through her life from the very start, and through her stardom. Her love with Rene Angelil, her feelings for this man 26 years her senior, her view of the world, of popularity, of discipline most of all, and of her working hard and intense attitude, I fell in love with her all over again. I can't recommend the book enough, but then again, you have to love Celine the way I do to appreciate her book as much!! :)

Good, but write a sequel!.......2004-03-28

When she finishes the book, she's finally become pregnant. She wishes it to be a little girl, because she feels that a little boy would be cold to her. She did end up having a little boy. I would like to see how this has worked with her career, her time at Caesar's Palace, and her fathers death. Many of the stories in her book are very touching, but she tends to be on the melodramatic side more times then not. I have to agree with the reviewer who wrote that it was disturbing to read about her ideas of seducing Rene Angelil when she was 14. Rene and Celine have a beautiful love story, but at 14 that would be wrong, and it feels invading to read it. She does come across as a diva in many points, but all of these shortcomings are minor compared to the wonderful story she writes.

Amazing Woman..........2004-03-12

I bought this book as a gift for John - although we are both huge fans of Celine Dion's. Her voice is amazing, but she has a rare quality in her personality that made me buy the book to discover more. I didn't read the book for over a year, but when I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. It was extremely well written.

I was so interested to learn of the role that David Foster had in her American recordings. David Foster is a master with talent. He also has introduced the world to Josh Groban. It is my utmost hope that Celine and Josh will do many duets and shows together. It isn't just their voices - it's their personalities. They are both confident, but they are both so unpretentious as well.

I was awed by the strength of Celine and her family. What a unique environment to grow up in! Additionally, Celine seems so honest about her life - both the good and the bad.

I was amazed at the details regarding her husband, Rene. Amazed that Celine had such a love for this man that it triumphed over YEARS when he repeatedly "rejected" her. She was famous and could have had any number of boyfriends, but instead her heart wouldn't allow her to love anyone but Rene. I believe that Rene was MEANT to be with Celine and her family; that he truly didn't begin to live until he met them. Likewise, I think that Celine is everything that she is because of Rene. Not just her voice, but her looks, style, education, etc.

Celine, a "homewrecker?" Give me a break! She was 14 and mesmerized by a cultured, attractive,genius agent who put her first in his life. I don't think that any marriage could have survived when one woman becomes such an obsession as Rene wanted the whole world to hear Celine. And in all fairness, the marriage had been over for a long time before he finally made love to her at 20. To me it is one of the greatest love stories of our time!!

Rene groomed Celine to become the woman she is. And he is her whole world. What man could resist this? Personally, I think he should feel as though he is the luckiest man in the world to have the love and loyalty of this gifted, funny, and amazing woman.

Average customer rating:

MY STORY, MY DREAM.
Celine. Dion
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Average customer rating:

Celine Dion: My Story, My Dream
Celine; Germain, Georges-Hebert Dion
Manufacturer: Harpercollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000MAOQM6

Average customer rating:

Celine Dion: My Story, My Dream
Celine Dion
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O8P65C

Average customer rating:

My Story, My Dream
Celine Dion
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O8RW5Y

Average customer rating:

My Story, My Dream
Celine; Germain, Georges-Hebert; Benderson, Bruce (translator) Dion
Manufacturer: William Morrow & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OA7P5Y

Customer Reviews:

Well written.......2004-08-11

I'm starting school in January and wanted to get a head start so I purchased this book. It's very imformative, it's well written and has beautiful, colorful illustrations. It has chapter test to verify that understand everything that you just read. I really like it so far.

Average customer rating:

The world is a hard place
A BRAVE LOOK IN A FAMILY CLOSET
A Harrowing Story
...Very Moving

Regina's Record
James Anthony Van Amber
Manufacturer: Xlibris Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Special Needs | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Family & Childhood | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1401047521

Book Description

REGINA'S RECORD is a uniquely powerful, thought-provoking, narrative about a resilient, feisty woman whose quality of life was destroyed by the horrific treatment she endured during 32 long years in the American VA psychiatric system.

Regina Van Amber is the unfortunate schizophrenic whose story was culled from more than 13,000 government records (which took 7 years to be released) and is graphically recreated over 256 pages by Regina's son, James Anthony Van Amber of Mankato, Minnesota. Told with a dispassionate, yet touching and unforgettable poignancy, REGINA'S RECORD makes superlative reading.

Juxtaposed against his mother's relentless trauma, is the story of James' own tortured development involving deep feelings of hurt, confusion, personal abandonment, self-doubt, isolation, sexual and emotional failure, low self-worth and acute peer pressure. The absence of a father and denial of his existence by his own mother, meant that the story is a modern tragedy spiced with dry wit and a welcome dash of wry humour to ease the obvious tension and catalogue of harrowing incidents.

Customer Reviews:

The world is a hard place.......2000-09-01

"Regina's Record" is an exceptional piece of literary non-fiction. Van Amber combines the story of his mother's mental illness and the horrifying treatment she suffers at the hands of the Veterans' Administration hospital staff with the autobiographical details of his own childhood and early adulthood. The writing is crisp and restrained during the most horrifying events, creating a sense of clarity in the reader. In other sections, the writing becomes lyrical, moving in its expression of love and pity and search for kindness. By the end, the reader believes both Van Amber's grandmother who says "The world is a hard place," and Van Amber, who finds miracles and kindness in that hardness. A beautiful book. A must read for students of counseling and psychology and psychiatry and nursing and medicine, for anyone whose profession requires them to see the human faces of the patient and the family members behind the label of the mental illness.

A BRAVE LOOK IN A FAMILY CLOSET.......2000-05-20

THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY BRAVE LOOK AT A LIFE, THAT IN SO MANY OTHER SIMILAR CASES HAVE BEEN PASSED OVER, AND EXAMINED FOR WHAT IT IS - A LIFE! REGINA'S RECORD IS SO SENSETIVELY WRITTEN, AND KEPT ME PINNED TO MY FAVORITE READING CHAIR. THANK YOU JAMES VAN AMBER!

A Harrowing Story.......2000-04-18

The most affecting moments in this memoir take place when the mother and son share a scene. The opening scene, for example, shows, in great detail, how a five-year-old boy witnessed his mother being taken away to the mental hospital. Much later, as an 18-year-old about to join the Army, he visits her at a VA hospital north of Chicago, and she does not recognize him; furthermore, she says that she has no son. What would she make of this memoir-- the son, now in his fifties, reclaiming his mother, detailing her life of abuse and sad delusion? That is the powerful irony that lies embedded in every word of this memoir--how Regina never knew her son (and could not help him) and how the author only knew Regina long after she had died (and could do nothing to help her).

In one sense, it's a tough book to read. It does not spare the reader. It never censors itself. At the same time, it is beautifully written, a work of great literary craft, that can be appreciated by all who care about excellence in writing, not just by those who are interested in the subject of this book. It would make a terrific movie.

...Very Moving.......2000-04-07

This is a book that should not be missed. As I read through the pages, I felt myself walking with Regina as the grip of the VA psychiatric hospital became tighter and tighter. The little boy (the author) has an amazing talent for not only condensing his mother's pain, but also his hopes, fears and his attempts to avoid his mother's fate.

It really is a thought provking book. The treatment of the mentally ill, children without parents and the brutality toward women left me with a new perspective.