The Book That's Sweeping America!: Or Why I Love Business!

Book Description

The world's greatest business consultant takes the business book down to a whole new level

Not to take anything away from E.F. Hutton, but when Stephen Michael Peter Thomas(r) talks, people really listen. (Or at least they turn their heads in his general direction). And what they hear astounds them. The ideas are so simple. The wisdom so pure. And the concepts as familiar as they are obvious. Stephen Michael Peter Thomas is one of the rare thinkers who can make timeless half-truths sound refreshingly new. (Or maybe it's just that he charges so much that clients have deluded themselves to believe that he is really onto something!)

Packed with knowledge, insight, and sometimes even a kernel of wisdom, The Book That's Sweeping America! gives readers what Fortune 100 companies have paid millions for. Stephen Michael Peter Thomas's every word mints a new batch of buzz phrases destined to be bandied about everywhere. "Layered Niche Reengineering (LNR)" "Shaker Benchmarking" "Open-Book Reading" We'd call it Stephen Michael Peter Thomas-ese if his name wasn't so impressively lengthy.

In The Book That's Sweeping America!, Stephen Michael Peter Thomas taps into his visionary gift to provide a road map of all the latest concepts steering business around the world. Leadership. Competition. Strategy. Wardrobe. Stephen Michael Peter Thomas tackles each topic one by one. And The Book That's Sweeping America! comes with a bona fide guarantee--not a single idea is new or different enough to challenge or make you feel uncomfortable. Competing in business is tough enough these days without having to worry about tackling new material.

* Fascinating case stories and interviews from the world's most successful organizations (like all business books there will most likely be cases from Xerox)
* Eye-catching photos, charts, and graphics that make even the most obvious ideas easy to grasp
* Learning summaries, Q&As, and exercises to implement in the odd chance that something new or original strikes you

STEPHEN MICHAEL PETER THOMAS (The Sphere of Influence, USA) describes himself as "the most talked about and influential business consultant the world has ever seen." The confidante of CEOs and the darling of the academic set, he is never referred to as "Steve."

Customer Reviews:

Gurus demystified.......2000-03-02

In America we are in an era when we willingly hand over our wills, intelligence and spirit to the guru du jour. Self-inflated pompous snake oil salesmen who proclaim they have all the answers to the problems that confound us all. They are usually odd numbered (the 7 habits, the 5 learnings, the only one that was even numbered was the ten commmandments) repackaging of recycled obvious knowledge. Stephen Michael Peter Thomas (cleverly borrowing the first names of all the leading gurus) mimics their posturings in this enormously witty satire. The best send up of business I've ever read. You'll never be able to sit through a motivational conference with a straight face again.

I laughed! I cried! I was reorganized!.......1997-03-17

If you are a CEO or a business consultant or just an ordinary working schlumpf, you can read this book and find something USEFUL in it. Particularly if someone accidently leaves a winning lottery ticket in it as a bookmark. For instance, you could apply any of Stephen Michael Peter Thomas's Learnings or Teachings to your business situation and before you know it, you will be named in a major class action litigation or you will drive your business directly into bankruptcy. What this business genius has to say is that EFFECTIVE! I can honestly say that, by applying what I learned from this book, I have accumulated enough good time points that my sentence for malfeasance, fraud and impersonating a business person has been reduced by almost THREE WEEKS! Thank you, thank you, thank you Stephen Michael Peter Thomas

Book That's sweeping America, or Why I Love Business

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Book That's sweeping America, or Why I Love Business
Stephen Michael
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O5XUA8

Book Description

In Regulatory Politics in Transition Marc Eisner argues that to understand fully the importance of regulatory policy we need to survey the critical policy shifts brought about during the Progressive period, the New Deal, and the contemporary period. Eisner adopts a regulatory regime framework to address the combination of policy change and institutional innovation across multiple policies in each period.

For each of these periods Eisner examines economic structural changes and the prevailing political economic and administrative theories that conditioned the design of new policies and institutions. Throughout, Eisner adds a valuable historical dimension to the discussion of regulation, by showing how policies and institutions were shaped by particular historical and political circumstances. The new edition examines how the efficiency regime of the 1980s found a new expression in the regulatory reinvention during the Clinton presidency. Moreover, it explores the impact of globalization trends and international regimes upon the politics of regulation and asks whether a new global regime is on the horizon.

Russia's Constitutional Revolution: Legal Consciousness and the Transition to Democracy 1985-1996

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Russia's Constitutional Revolution: Legal Consciousness and the Transition to Democracy 1985-1996
Robert B. Ahdieh
Manufacturer: Pennsylvania State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Hardbound.

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The only cookbook you'll need

The Way YOU Will Cook

A Book to Really Cook From

The Way I Cook
Lee Bailey
Manufacturer: Gramercy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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Lee Bailey's Country Weekends

Lee Bailey's Soup Meals

Lee Bailey's Cooking for Friends

LEE BAILEYS GOOD PARTIES

Lee Bailey's Long Weekends: Recipes for Good Food and Easy Living

ASIN: 0517208911
Release Date: 2000-03-07

Amazon.com

The Way I Cook collects recipes from 17 cookbooks written by since 1983. You also will find 90 new recipes organized into 24 menus. Bailey's style is graceful, gracious, imaginative, and relaxed. Most dishes are quick and easy to prepare since Bailey believes eating well includes having a good time in the kitchen as well as at the table. Trained as an artist, Bailey's feel for pleasing the eye along with the palate is ever present, but never overwhelming. (You might call him the antidote to Martha Stewart.) Bailey lets uncomplicated food speak for itself. If you missed his cookbooks the first time around, The Way I Cook is a way to catch them.

Book Description

All of Lee Bailey's fabulous recipes from such bestselling cookbooks as Country Weekends, Southern Food, Portable Food, and Country Desserts--plus more than 100 new ones--are now in one elegant volume, complete with menu suggestions and tips for entertaining. 20 photos.

Customer Reviews:

The only cookbook you'll need.......2003-11-29

I love to cook and so have a million cookbooks, but I use The Way I Cook almost exclusively. This book contains just about any standard dish you're looking for as well as novel recipes. The recipes are not complicated to make, nor are the list of ingredients too lengthy or hard to find. The best thing about this cookbook is that I have NEVER had anything I've made from it turn out badly, and I've made many of the recipes.

The Way YOU Will Cook.......2000-06-08

Lee Bailey is great. I have all his books, 'Weekends,' 'Desserts,' 'Cooking For Friends,' etc. and I use them almost exclusively. This book is quite comprehensive and includes a few recipes from his other books. From the highly original 'Scrambled Egg Salad' to the simple 'Tomato Aspic' to the marvelous 'Veal chops with Blackberries' to the divine 'Natchez lemon Cake' you won't regret buying this cookbook. The recipes are laid out in a simple, straight forward style. Lots of cookbooks promise fabulous dishes. This one actually delivers it.

A Book to Really Cook From.......1999-12-18

Lee Bailey's cookbooks are usually such wonderful visual treats that you hardly notice that the recipes are simple and straightforward and very interesting. And you would hesitate to bring them into the kitchen for fear of ruining the gorgeous pictures. This book has NO PICTURES, just lots and lots of recipes for great food. I'm not sure it has all the recipes from his previous books but it sure has most of them. I checked a number of favorites at random and they were all there. He says "I'm still a sucker for quick and easy and quirky ..." and his taste is sure. Take the other books out of the library or leave them on the coffee table - but buy this one to cook with.

Book Description

Now in its 15th edition, Baldrige Award Winning Quality is the most widely used and recognized book on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. The 2006 Criteria includes 19 simple new questions, one for each of the Baldrige Criteria Items. This definitive reference for helping companies achieve world-class results is the only book on the Baldrige criteria to detail, in simple and straightforward language, every category, examination item, and area to address.

Baldrige Award Winning Quality: How to Interpret the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence (Baldrige Award Winning Quality)

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Excellent detailed guidance and insight.

Baldrige Award Winning Quality: How to Interpret the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence (Baldrige Award Winning Quality)
Mark Graham Brown
Manufacturer: Productivity Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

The 13th edition for the 2004 Baldrige criteria provides you with the best understanding of this exhaustive quality program. Written in an easy-to-understand format by one of the best-known authorities on the Baldrige criteria, Mark Graham Brown, it is the most recognized reference in its field. The book illustrates the key relationships that exist among the criteria and details how the scoring scale operates, both critical aspects of writing a Baldrige Award application.

The book provides a clear and concise explanation on how to prepare for a site visit, its purpose, what a Baldrige examiner looks for, and the questions typically asked during the visit. As well, the new edition includes a list of state awards based on the Baldrige criteria. The awards are organized by state for easy reference.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent detailed guidance and insight........1999-03-20

Provides a detailed understanding of the criteria, shows how to write an application, and is a tool for assessing an organization and developing plans. Excellent guidance and insight.

Baldrige Award Winning Quality: How to Interpret the Malcolm Baldrige Award Criteria (6th ed)

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Baldrige Award Winning Quality: How to Interpret the Malcolm Baldrige Award Criteria (6th ed)
Mark Graham Brown
Manufacturer: Quality Resources.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Quality Control | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Total Quality Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0527763187

Award Winning Quality: Strategies from the Winners of the Malcolm Baldridge Award (Guide Targeted Towards Quality Professionals and Managers #awq5)

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Award Winning Quality: Strategies from the Winners of the Malcolm Baldridge Award (Guide Targeted Towards Quality Professionals and Managers #awq5)

Manufacturer: Bureau of Business Practice
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Baldridge Award Winning Quality: How to Interpret the Baldridge Criteria for Performance Excellence (Baldrige Award Winning Quality)

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Baldridge Award Winning Quality: How to Interpret the Baldridge Criteria for Performance Excellence (Baldrige Award Winning Quality)
Mark Graham Brown
Manufacturer: Productivity Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1563273640

Book Description

Now in its 16th edition, Baldrige Award Winning Quality is the most widely used and recognized book on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. The 2007 Criteria now includes 18 questions, one for each of the Baldrige Criteria Items.

Significant changes in the 2007 edition include a stronger measure on: Leadership - which now includes a focus on performance measures and their use by senior leaders; Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge - with a focus on the needs for management of information and information technology; Workforce Focus - redesigned around workforce engagement and the workforce environment; Customer and Market Focus - with a focus on the voice of the customer; Process Management - redesigned around work systems, core competencies, and work processes; Strategic Planning - with a focus on innovation, strategic advantages, and resource needs to accomplish strategic objectives; and Results - aligned with the above categories to ensure the measurement of important and appropriate results.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Chief Executive (U.S.), published by Chief Executive Publishing on June 1, 1994. The length of the article is 2161 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: Eastman Chemical Co. radically transformed its organizational culture in its desire to maximize the quality of its products. One of the most notable changes in the company can be gleaned in its organizational structure which is now composed of interlocking teams working toward a common corporate goal. These work teams are now empowered to take control of their jobs, which encourages them to become more creative and productive, and shortens communication channels. Another important transformation is the renewed focus of the chemical company on its customers. After realizing that it has terribly lost touch with its main targets, the firm decided that it was time to become market-oriented by serving the needs of its customers. Aside from these, Eastman dropped its suggestion system, time clocks and conventional performance-appraisal method. As a result of these efforts, Eastman was conferred the Malclom Baldrige National Quality Awards.

Citation Details
Title: Winning the Baldrige Award. (quality development at Eastman Chemical Co.) (Management)
Author: Earnest W., Jr. Deavenport
Publication: Chief Executive (U.S.) (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 1, 1994
Publisher: Chief Executive Publishing
Issue: n95 Page: p36(4)

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WINNING the Malcolm Baldrige.(Los Alamos National Bank receives Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award)(Brief Article): An article from: Chief Executive (U.S.)

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WINNING the Malcolm Baldrige.(Los Alamos National Bank receives Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award)(Brief Article): An article from: Chief Executive (U.S.)
Bill Enloe
Manufacturer: Chief Executive Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Chief Executive (U.S.), published by Chief Executive Publishing on August 1, 2001. The length of the article is 1012 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: WINNING the Malcolm Baldrige.(Los Alamos National Bank receives Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award)(Brief Article)
Author: Bill Enloe
Publication: Chief Executive (U.S.) (Magazine/Journal)
Date: August 1, 2001
Publisher: Chief Executive Publishing
Page: 46

Article Type: Brief Article

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Book Description

China is the world's fastest-growing market. Also, the country is undergoing two major transitional phases: from a command economy to a market-based one, and from a rural, agricultural society to an urban, industrial one.

This book demonstrates how the success of foreign companies depends on the extent to which they can benefit from this structural transformation. It illustrates industrial and foreign direct investment policies regulated by the Chinese government, outlines the key industries and emerging investment opportunities, provides insights about how to analyze structural attributes of an industry, and presents the decision framework for investment selection. Further, it contains several case studies showing how companies choose relevant investment strategies in China.

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Multinational Corporations in China: Benefiting from Structural Transformation. (book review): An article from: Transnational Corporations
Oded Shenkar
Manufacturer: United Nations Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B0008IO2D0
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Transnational Corporations, published by United Nations Publications on April 1, 2001. The length of the article is 505 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: Multinational Corporations in China: Benefiting from Structural Transformation. (book review)
Author: Oded Shenkar
Publication: Transnational Corporations (Refereed)
Date: April 1, 2001
Publisher: United Nations Publications
Volume: 10 Issue: 1 Page: 146(2)

Article Type: Book Review

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Book Description

Increasingly companies' stakeholders require organisations to observe international standards prescribed by international laws, treaties, conventions, recommendations, and/or codes of conduct. The papers selected for this volume explore 1) the ethical pressures on international business to meet the challenges of diversity, 2) suggested methods of coping with diversity, and 3) the challenges required to overcome corporate self-interest in the search for new instruments. Collectively these articles reflect scholarly insights and corporate responses to diversity in international business, a topic of wide interest in contemporary business ethics.

Book Description

China Master Tax Guide 2005 is created by an expert team from Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and provides comprehensive and up-to-date information on the concepts governing taxation of companies, businesses, individuals etc in China.

The Guide examines various taxes imposed in China. The full spectrum of taxation issues is explored, including procedural matters such as assessment and payment. Legislation, Tax Bureau Interpretation and Circulars are also examined.

Main contents include the following:

an overview of China taxes;
turnover taxes;
transaction and property-related taxes;
withholding tax; tax registration, administration and collection;
double tax relief;
individual and enterprise income taxes;
consumption tax;
applicable tax rates, exemptions and preferential tax treatments;
disputes and penalties.

Other features include worked examples, user-friendly index, legislation finding list, and cross references to legislation. Accountants, lawyers, tax professionals and students will benefit from the comprehensive coverage of the China Master Tax Guide 2005.

Book Description

Ulitimate guide on corporate and personal taxation

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China Tax Guide
Michael J. Moser , and Winston K. Zee
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | International | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Criminal Law | Law | Subjects | Books

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General | Taxation | Law | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This is the first full introduction to the complicated tax system for foreign business operations in the People's Republic of China today. It provides a simple and concise guide to the most significant rules and regulations up to January 1987; covers such areas as individual income tax,
industrial and commercial tax, joint venture income tax, and the foreign enterprise income tax; and provides translations of taxation laws, forms, and treaties.

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2007 Guide to China's Business Taxes
China Briefing Media
Manufacturer: China Briefing Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 9889867354
Release Date: 2006-12-01

Product Description

This brand new guide book is a comprehensive overview of all the taxes foreign investors are likely to encounter when either establishing, operating a business, or trading with China from overseas. It details all applicable taxes, when, where and how much needs to be paid, contains overviews of Chinas tax laws and administration, and comments on scheduled changes in China s tax law that are expected to be enacted in 2007, including discussions on China s income tax unification. With analysis of all corporate taxes, withholding taxes affecting services to China from overseas, and detailed examination of expatriate individual income taxes, and other required permits, together with overviews of China s investment incentives, the reclamation of VAT upon export, transfer pricing, in addition to annual audit obligations it is a concise, detailed yet pragmatic illustration of international investors tax obligations in China and how to manage and cater for these.

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China Master Tax Guide

Manufacturer: CCH, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 9814197386
Release Date: 2006-11-01

Product Description

The 2006/2007 China Master Tax Guide is an indispensable guide to companies that have business dealings in China. It offers an overview of the current China tax system and up-to-date concepts governing taxation of companies, businesses and individuals in China. The Guide explores the full spectrum of taxation issues, including procedure matters such as assessment and payment. It examines legislation, case law and tax bureau interpretations and circulars. Contents include: -Legal and administrative framework of China tax -Introduction to China laws -At-a-glance tax rates, tables and flowcharts -Individual and enterprise income tax -Foreign enterprise income tax -Liability to tax -Assessment period, tax year -Tax rates and computations -Taxable income and exemptions -Deductions -Depreciation of fixed assets -Withholding tax -Investigations, disputes and penalties -Double tax relief -Value-added tax -Transaction and property related taxes (stamp duty, deed tax, land VAT, urban real estate tax, resource tax)

A Guide to China's Tax & Business Laws (China Law)

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A Guide to China's Tax & Business Laws (China Law)
Howard Gensler , Jiliang Yang , and Yongfu Li
Manufacturer: Thomson Professional Pub Cn
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Zhongguo she wai shui shou zhi nan =: China foreign tax guide

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Zhongguo she wai shui shou zhi nan =: China foreign tax guide
Zuo Liu
Manufacturer: Fa lu chu ban she
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: 7503631902

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Journal of Southern History, published by Southern Historical Association on August 1, 2004. The length of the article is 1905 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: The Papers of George Washington. Presidential Series. [Volume] VII: December 1790-March 1791; [Volume] VIII: March-September 1791; [Volume] IX: September 1791-February 1792; [Volume] X: March-August 1792; [Volume] XI: August 1792-January 1793.(Book Review)
Author: H. James Henderson
Publication: Journal of Southern History (Magazine/Journal)
Date: August 1, 2004
Publisher: Southern Historical Association
Volume: 70 Issue: 3 Page: 653(5)

Article Type: Book Review

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Book Description

My Jihad is the personal story about the biggest threat to world peace and stability in our generation, as told by an insider.

Customer Reviews:

A fun read, but so are comics.......2007-06-10

My perspective is probably biased by my many years of military service, but here goes. The book reads like a good adventure novel and perhaps gives some insight into the loosely and even chaotically organized management style of many jihadists and their tendency to degenerate from religious warriors into common gangsters. However, it is hard to take the collection of stories seriously, sometimes they read like comics with Collins as a jihadist version of Captain America, minus the cool uniform. The nice thing about comics is that they have distinctive artwork and are not presented as having historical, political and religious significance and the writers are not self righteous.

At any rate, if any of these stories were being spun at the local tavern, the storyteller would definitely earn some free drinks.

Couldn't put it down.......2007-06-01

You will not be able to put this book down! He nearly gets killed in several instances, finds himself in the home of enemy combatants, gets caught crossing the border where he's rescued by a mobster, takes a few bullets to his legs, and still decides to return to the front lines! Whatever your feelings about Collins, he is clearly a hero: Most people wouldn't consider dying for their own country, yet this guy goes off to a foreign land to defend its people against the powerful Russian army. The book will also help readers understand what Jihad really is. You'll come to find that the current "jihadist movement" is in fact un-islamic, founded by groups of corrupt people, some of whom Collins describes as not being remotely religious. The book is a bit out of order: Section 2 should have come first. The book also ends on an incomplete note. Nevertheless, you'll get a first-hand account of a war that seems very distant. You'll also come to understand and appreciate the Mujahideen who dropped everything in their own lives to defend people in a foreign land when nobody, including their government, came to their rescue. After reading this book, I couldn't stop thinking about the atrocities that were committed. If anything, we need to make sure this doesn't happen again.

Uses religion as a justification for criminal activity.......2006-10-25

After reading this book, I am left with the impression that Collins was nothing more than yet another troubled youth that attempted to use a loophole in a religious ideology to justify his blatant criminal behavior. It also leaves me to wonder that had the scenario been a few years different, if he would not be over there right now in Iraq or Afghanistan trying to kill Americans instead of Russians?
I am skeptical with the title of this book, "An amazing journey from Usama Bin Laden's training camps to counter terrorism with the FBI and CIA." True it does tell of the author's travels from custody in the California Youth Authority, to training camps in Afghanistan and culminating with the siege of Grozny in Chechnya, but that is about it, a story and not a very amazing one at that. Collins never goes into detail about why he decided to convert to Islam, he just starts out one day while walking the streets of San Diego, enters a Mosque and decides to convert.
However, in part two of the book, he gives some insight as to why he may have decided to "convert," but never mentions if this is the actual reason or not. He comes from a broken home where his father eventually rejects him at the insistence of a drug addicted step mom and his biological mother is murdered over a drug deal gone bad. He winds up like most troubled youth living on the street and started out with committing petty crimes. He then progresses to armed robbery and an ensuing "shootout." When the police come to arrest him he proudly boasts about the 13 police cars outside and states to the arresting officers "all this just for me?" It seems to me this is the typical ranting of a juvenile delinquent, not a holy warrior. My interpretation is that he uses the religion of Islam and his distorted interpretation of it, to rationalize and justify his delinquent behavior.
He uses the concept of Jihad to further rationalize his desire to pursue his inherent criminal behavior by wanting to fight the Russians who are occupying Chechnya. My belief is that the same situation could have played out in any part of the world, he just wants to fight, wherever that may take him. When he finally gets to go out on an operation, "the others" have it all wrong, only he sees the impending ambush and he single handedly saves the others by attacking first and winds up getting shot in the leg. Then to top it all off, he becomes a pedophile by having sex with a sixteen year old at the hospital where he is recovering.
Again, without much of an explanation, he decides that he wants to work as an informant for the FBI against the same individuals he had just recently been fighting with. My assumption on this is that he had become disenchanted with his situation after being shot and he uses it as a ploy to have the government pay for his trip back to the United States. He returns to his wife and daughter back home, but never mentions whether his wife in the States knew anything about his illegitimate "child bride" and subsequent daughter in Chechnya.
He then continues his boasting about how he is intimately familiar with and easily associates himself with the Jihadist elements in the States and how although he is informing on them, at the same time, he works as their "muscle" on the side for some extra money. Again, he falls on back on what he knows, being a criminal. Lastly, and there is probably some element of truth about having to deal with government bureaucracy, but he never mentions how any of his work with the FBI or the CIA lead to anything productive or any meaningful outcome, just how much money he was making off the taxpayers. Oh, and he does get his troublesome leg amputated, also on the taxpayer dime. It concludes with him having a falling out with the CIA, who he then accuses of trying to have him killed during his last trip to Chechnya.
He concludes with a smattering of truth that on his final trip into Grozny, as he is actually faced with a true combat situation, he admits to being scared out of his mind. He attempts to save face by telling the reader that he was ordered to return to the States by his commander to obtain "critical" medical supplies. When he returns, his stateside wife leaves him and he is faced with the harsh reality of raising a son and daughter on his own. His illegitimate wife and daughter, whom he left in Chechnya, are never mentioned again.

A sad state of affairs.......2006-09-15

Firstly, I'd like to state that I loved this book. It was humorous, well written and thoroughly exciting book. The pacing was fast, the language is strong, and peppered with both American slang and Islamic references. For nothing else, it is a fun read.
I noticed though that many of the other reviewers called Aukai a "terrorist" or a "criminal" in their reviews though. This is not only incorrect, but also shows how jaded these people are. The fact that Aukai, irregardless of religious convictions, was willing to sacrifice his life in numerous countries to simply protect people that he had never met should be indication enough of the bravery and selfless nature of this man.
Is Aukai a flawless man? Hardly. But this does not make him a terrorist, or a criminal. Being that warfare still exists (Shockingly enough!), Aukai's killing of Russian soldiers is not a crime (At least not any more of a crime that any other soldier has ever commited during a war). I know that it may be a revelation to some of you, but a Moslem can be a fighter without being a terrorist too.

A somewhat misleading title.......2006-09-04

This book was recommended to me by my boyfriend, who has a vested interest in all things military (or even paramilitary), being in the Irish army. Having read the synopsis on the back, it certainly seemed like an interesting read, so in I dove.

The first thing any prospective reader of this book should know is that Aukai Collins has never once in his life been in contact with Osama Bin Laden, nor has he ever attended one of his training camps. Rather I think that aspect of the book was wilfully overstated in order to increase sales. Call me a cynic, but if you've read the book, you'll know what I mean. The second thing potential readers should be aware of is that Collins is an unabashed egotist - and it gets very tired early on in the novel.

The novel, in my opinion, is laid out rather back-to-front, in that it begins with his attempts to make jihad in various trouble-spots around the world, and we are only given any insight into his youth and why he converted to Islam in the second part of the book. And even this section, such as it is, is pitifully lacking. We are treated to a few short chapters on his childhood, but given no real insights into why he chose to convert to Islam. One rather gets the impression that it came about simply because he was bored in prison, and also because it gave him an excuse to indulge his inherently violent personality.

For all his posturing, Collins actually sees very little real "action". He seems to spend more time trying to get into the countries where he wishes to fight, and playing war games with his mujahideen friends in various camps. Even the manner in which he purportedly loses his leg is misleading - we are told he "left it behind" in Chechnya, when in reality he suffered an injury to it there, and later had it voluntarily amputated in America.

Depsite his supposedly altruistic side (he did, after all, want to help the FBI fight terrorists), Collins is a very hard person to like. He leaves a pregnant wife in America, then proceeds to marry a 16 year old girl in Chechnya. He then leaves her (also pregnant) to return to the States, where he impregnantes the first wife again. This third child is a son, and this is the only one of his children that Collins seems to care a whit about. I find it very hard to empathise with a man with such seeming disregard for his female children.

While parts of this book do undoubtedly give some insights into the world of the mujahideen, the one overwhelming feeling you are left with on finishing the book is "Why?".

The Journey of My Life From Rwanda: The amazing true story of an African woman's life

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The Journey of My Life From Rwanda: The amazing true story of an African woman's life
Chantal, Batamuriza Mrimi
Manufacturer: AuthorHouse UK DS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1425973124

Book Description

In this book, the author presents a riveting account of her life in short story form which provides the reader with a thorough understanding of her extraordinary existence. Beginning with her father's heroic and harrowing flight from the barbaric tribal warfare waged between Hutus and Tutsis, the reader learns of the monumental obstacles her family encountered in their most noble quest of raising a wholesome family under normal circumstances. However, the author's family consistently was forced to evade and navigate dangerous and often unforeseen events just to survive. Composed in a captivating narrative and compelling dialogue, the text flows at brisk tempo which should maintain the reader's interest throughout. In vivid detail, the author effectively conveys the atmosphere and environment she occupied throughout her life and the challenges they presented. It would not be considered out of the ordinary if the reader quickly developed a solid bond with the author and those around her.

Amazing Life: My Journey Through Life and Death

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The life of a couragous woman and how we can see what God has brought her out of

Amazing Life: My Journey Through Life and Death
Joyce A. Oleinik
Manufacturer: Warwick House Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1890306827

Product Description

autobiography - a synopsis of my life in how I subcumbed to mental sickness and how I overcame it, and how my life has touched on recognition, abuse, alcoholism,relationships,mental illness, incarceration , homosexuality, homelessness,death, and freedom.

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The life of a couragous woman and how we can see what God has brought her out of.......2006-08-03

I think she was a brave woman to write all that has happen in her life for all the world to see. This book shows what a strong woman really is. To lose everything and still stand up with her head held high. Satan tried to make her lose her mind and take her life and everyone else. God took over and won. I can tell from reading the book that her mother has done alot for her and that she loves her alot and her children specially craig a very loved son. I do know that she loved her husband very much and I feel like he took advantage of her in her time of need. Thank God for whoever gave her a helping hand when she needed it most. God brings people in our lives for a reason. To love them, help them, feed them, cloth them, make them smile whatever you do, God will bless you. This book should be a best seller and everyone should buy it.

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My Amazing Journey
Donna Lamberti
Manufacturer: Writers Club Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Musculoskeletal Diseases | Disorders & Diseases | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0595281389

My Lemon Orchard: Chronicles of an amazing year of journeys

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My Lemon Orchard: Chronicles of an amazing year of journeys
Susan Hanf
Manufacturer: iUniverse, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Travel | Writing | Reference | Subjects | Books

Essays & Travelogues | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0595456189

Book Description

Susan Hanf was dumped by her boyfriend, clobbered by the flu, and fired from her job all in one week. When the phrase, "When life hands you lemons ." passed through her mind, she skipped right over making lemonade and planted a whole lemon orchard. Susan sold her house, kissed her cat goodbye, and visited sixteen countries and the magnificent isles of Hawaii all in one year. Her unexpected and amazing journeys include floating amongst jellyfish and sharks in Palau, swimming with wild dolphins in New Zealand, and meditating with monks in South Korea. My Lemon Orchard chronicles Susan's personal growth as she strolls the streets of the world. Along the way, she shares international travel lessons, laugh-out-loud humor, and advice on how to handle "interesting" locals. Come away with Susan on her journey to Vienna for Christmas, to Ireland for a kiss on the Blarney Stone, and to Turkey to snorkel with exotic sea creatures. You will adore her honesty and courage as she blazes her trail across the world. Who knows? Perhaps you too will be inspired to plant your own orchard!

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Great book!
Single mothers' Canadian club
Miriam Toew's First Novel is an unlikely vehicle for humour
Interesting. Everything but the kitchen sink included.

Summer of My Amazing Luck
Miriam Toews
Manufacturer: Turnstone Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Comic | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0888012055

Book Description

Welcome to Have-a-Life housing project... better nown as Half-a-Life.

Meet eighteen year-old Lucy and flamboyant Lish, two of the single moms whhol live there. Lucy has no idea who the father of her son is. Lish has four girls, and though she says she doesn't want a man around, she still pines for the father of her twins, a fire-eating busker who was just passing through town. Every Friday is "Deadbeat Dads" visiting day, but otherwise fathers aren't around much at Half-a-Life. They're mostly the kind of people whose heads get chopped off in pictures.

Life at Half-a-Life has its ups and downs. The welfare regulations are endless and the ratfink neighbours won't mind their own business. Wagons and cheap strollers are the only way to get to and from the grocery store, and its hard to make ends meet without the welfare minister trying to take away the child tax credit. So when Lish decides they should go to Colorado to find the fire-eater, Lucy can't help but be excited. They borrow a van held together with coat hangers and electrical tape, load it up with clothes and hit the road. Lucy knows they'll never find the fire-eater, but she doesn't know this will be the summer of her amazing luck.

Customer Reviews:

Great book!.......2007-03-04

I loved, loved this book. Took me awhile to get through but only because I wanted to savour it. The first half of the book introduces each wacky character in Half-a-Life. The second half deals with Lish and Lucy's advenure to find Gotcha. This is a different, entertaining, and really cute book that I would read again and again.

Single mothers' Canadian club.......2006-12-22

Lucy, the first person narrator, and Lish are unwed mothers living in public housing in Winnipeg, Manitoba, a place where Fargo is considered the warm south. Lucy does not know the father of her child because "if you eat a whole can of beans how can you tell which one gave you gas." There are so many unfathered children in the building that their version of the alphabet song is "ABCDEFGHIJKalimony please". Both Lucy and Lish have difficult relationships with conventional respectable unsupportive (in the emotional sense) fathers of their own. These relationships form a faint thread of a plot, although the novel is largely made up of the intersecting stories of the other mothers in the building.
I was reminded of Adrian Leblanc's serious non-fiction "Random Family." That's a great book but Toew's is better, and actually contains more information about the singles mother's predicament, and offers more insight into her motivation, as well as being hilariously funny..
Once again we have a great Canadian female writer. Why is Canada the only country where a list of the top five writers cannot be made up that is not predominantly female?

Miriam Toew's First Novel is an unlikely vehicle for humour.......2000-05-11

Summer of My Amazing Luck, Miriam Toew's first novel, tells the story of single mothers who inhabit the fictional "Have-A-Life"- (A.K.A."Half-A-Life") welfare project in downtown Winnipeg. Single mom's on welfare seems an unlikey basis for humour, but Summer of My Amazing Luck, shortlisted for the Stephen Leacock Humour Prize in 1997, is gut-busting, laugh-out-loud hilarity. Told through the eyes of eighteen-year-old Lucy, who lives at "Half-a-Life" with her baby boy "Dillinger", we meet the Lucy's older, more worldly confident, the eccentric Lish, who's raising three young daughters, and is in deparate search for her one true love, a fire-eater from Colorado, the father of her twins.On the backdrop of Winnipeg's mosquito infested rainy season, Lucy and Lish try to make homes for their children, and find love and contentment in their own lives; we pity, admire and love them for it. Summer of My Amazing Luck is a wonderful book, and a tribute to mothers everywhere.

Interesting. Everything but the kitchen sink included........1999-01-15

Two single mothers living hand-to-mouth grapple with their desires to be loved and accepted and the relentless search for meaning in life. Ranges from humorous to pathetic. Leaves the reader with understanding, pity, and possibly even admiration for the unlikely heroines.

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My Amazing Journey (What About Me?)
Pat Thomas
Manufacturer: Hodder Wayland
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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