The Age of Deleveraging: Investment Strategies for a Decade of Slow Growth and Deflation Review

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(More customer reviews)I am not familiar with Schilling but he manages money and writes a newsletter from a quick perusal of his website. However, the book states that he does not yet manage money (but he is already a bit old). The book is really in three parts:
1. The first third of the books deals with recommendations the author made to his clients roughly from 1988 to 2008. Clearly the author is a bit full of himself here. That is allowed because he seems to have made some good calls. I suppose the author needs to establish his track record somehow. However, most people wouldn't find this section terribly interesting. At least the author has made a decent job editing the text, which presumably originates from his newsletter. However, the section might be interesting for life-long students that want to understand the author's thought process in more detail. For those a key problem is that he only discusses his successful predictions. Maybe he has loads of predictions that didn't pan out. So while there is value in history, this section is problematic.
2. The second third deals with themes that currently preoccupies the author. We are not going to see anything like the bull market which lasted from 1982 to 2000. Instead we'll get deflation. This discussion is quite interesting. However, this is a contrarian viewpoint so I would really have liked more depth and crispness in the arguments. He should also address the contents of his 1998 book called "Deflation", because if he has called "deflation" for over a decade her will lose credibility.
3. The final third deals with investment recommendations for the next decade. I'm not terribly impressed by this section. Some of these recommendations are a bit naive, like don't buy antiques because they're illiquid. Other ideas are clearly more serious, like buy consumer staples stocks. The nagging question is that I don't know if the author still keeps his best ideas exclusive to his newsletter subscribers. I would have liked the author to raise this issue himself.
The language is not very technical at all. I think most people who end up reading my review can easily read the book. Personally I find the book very verbose. He is kind of writing to a not-so-knowledgeable wealthy person. If you have some basic economics courses under your belt, some of the book will feel quite tedious.
Judging the quality of non-fiction is different from judging a novel. I really don't like the verbose style of writing, so style is equivalent to two stars. However, it is really the insights and quality of recommendations that is the important. For problems listed above that is three or four stars. So in conclusion three stars (i.e. useful if you read many books, but certainly not your first choice on the topic).


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Arthur's Round: The Life and Times of Brewing Legend Arthur Guinness Review

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(More customer reviews)This is an extremely thorough and detailed look at the origins of one of the most famous Irish families of the modern era, and one of the most well-established global brands; written by one of the members of the family to boot.
Patrick Guinness has certainly done his research - digging through the family archives as well as reams of other original source material he confidently paints a complete picture of Arthur Guinness (the first Guinness to brew the stuff for which Guinness is now synonymous) and the times in which he lived.
Starting with Arthurs's ancestors and putting right some common misconceptions about the Guinness family's origins, geographically, socio-economically and brewing(ly), he uses Arthur's story as an example of how many, at this point in Ireland's history, managed to find success in Dublin in spite of more humble beginnings.
The story ends, largely, with Arthur's death (sorry if I've ruined the ending for any of you). Overall this is a meticulously well researched book which manages to tell many tales in one, the two primary ones being Arthur's story and the story of Ireland itself, throughout the period in question.
The flip-side of that same coin, however, is that this is not a pleasant biographical read such as we might see published on some current titan of business. This is a historically heavyweight book, its amusing cover art notwithstanding, and I was surprised at how dry and academic it was in many places (I could have done with a Guinness or two while I was reading it). Patrick Guinness also used this opportunity to correct, and in some instances berate, some previous biographers' alleged mistakes, misconceptions, presumptions and blunders. At first his tone was amusing but by the end of the book it had grown somewhat tiresome.
That said, I ploughed through the drier parts and am glad that I did - it's a fascinating read from all sides and I highly recommend it to anyone; almost as heartily as I recommend a pint of the black stuff itself.
Slainte.

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The first ever biography of Arthur Guinness
Contains a compelling overview of Irish society in the eighteenth century
Draws on groundbreaking research into Irish genetic ancestry
A must for Guinness lovers everywhere

Ireland's best-known Irishman, his name and signature in every household and village in Ireland, is also the least known. Part of Dublin life for over two centuries, both family and brewery have passed into legend, but their origins have been obscured. Here, for the first time, the story of the man and his background told.
Of a generation with Edmund Burke and Richard Brinsley Sheridan, this wily businessman built an empire that endured and expanded. Family and social history combine with an account of the brewing process and descriptions of economic and political backgrounds in a rapidly developing Ireland, giving a rich weave to this tapestry.
Visual sources include maps, rare original documents, prints, and photographs of associated houses and places, people and artifacts. The result is a fascinating contextual portrait of an enigmatic figure, the founding father of one of Ireland's most powerful dynasties.

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A Nation Transformed by Information: How Information Has Shaped the United States from Colonial Times to the Present Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is a collection of essays on the movement of information, and how it has transformed the United States from its colonial beginnings to today. At the very beginning, the founders of the country subsidized the transportation of newspapers through the postal system; this allowed the free flow of information between cities and states, across the entire continent. As technology increased, it inevitably speeded and expanded the amount of information flowing throughout the country--from the railroad, through the telegraph, telephone, radio, motion pictures, television, and on into computers.
This book is an exciting history of information media. Though written by no less than seven contributors, it pulls together into seamless whole, almost as if written by one author. The depth of information is breathtaking, and the conclusions reached are fascinating. Indeed, I think that they admirably proved their contention that there was continuity in the development of information media, and I myself repeatedly saw history repeat itself through their narrative, right up to today.
This is a fascinating book, and one that I recommend without reservation.

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Prime Times, Bad Times Review

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(More customer reviews)It seems to be a common desire that once a person leaves a media organization, he or she wants to give a personal account of the "inside" view following the severing of the ties. That's the genre for this book. In February 1986 Joyce tendered his letter of resignation to Gene Jankowski. He begins his tale of the events leading up to that action by first describing the early years of the organization he left, CBS. "CBS News consistently measures itself by its past" he writes. He talks about the "glory days" of Edward R. Murrow and the "handful of young men" who created broadcast news from scratch, with no model to follow.
It is hard to comprehend how corporate decisions are made. Dan Rather inherited a prestigious news organization as far as ratings were concerned. While his performance has kept the network at or near the cellar the entire time he's been in the anchor slot, he seems arrogantly secure in his position. Joyce points out that both inside CBS and outside there was concern when Walter Cronkite announced he was stepping down, that Rather did not have the qualities necessary for the anchor slot. It was assumed Roger Mudd would be next in line to replace Cronkite. Subsequent ratings all these decades later showed Joyce's observation at the time was correct. Evidently the decision-makers at CBS have an agenda other than public preference.
There are other glimpses of the inner workings of CBS during the 1980s. For anyone still interested in CBS, perhaps better phrased, for anyone interested in corporate bureaucracy this book is full of examples of decisions that were not always the most logical.

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War Paint: Madame Helena Rubinstein and Miss Elizabeth Arden, Their Lives, Their Times, Their Rivalry Review

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(More customer reviews)This is such a juicy story. Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein were two glamorous divas, who come to life and the stories of their personal and business lives are fascinating. The author describes the rivalry between these two women with rich details, describing how their animosity fueled their growing empires. The story is even more interesting because of the times in which they lived, and Woodhead does a great job of explaining their very glamorous social circles. I can't wait to share this book with my friends, especially those who love fashion.

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Reminiscences of a Stock Operator: With New Commentary and Insights on the Life and Times of Jesse Livermore (Annotated Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)I read Reminiscences of a Stock Operator around ten years ago. I was trying to understand trading dynamics in the market, and the book was mentioned frequently.
It is a classic. But can a classic be made better? In this case yes. Jon Markman, an able financial writer, has written notes around the narrative, with pictures and graphs that illustrate many things that would be obscure to the reader of the book. Markman brings forgotten people to life, and motivates the events that transpired.
It was an exciting era, one where the common law of contracts played a greater role, and statutory law played a lesser role. It wasn't no-holds-barred, but it was close.
We are experiencing our own era of leverage that is too high, and what happens when it breaks. The protagonist of the book, Jesse Livermore, aims for best advantage, and learns as he goes along, going broke several times in the process, and dying broke as well. Leverage cuts two ways. Live by leverage; die by leverage.
Paul Tudor Jones II writes an appendix to the volume, as well as a foreword. Being a trading billionaire who started from scratch and went broke a few times, he is an excellent man to get into the mind of Livermore on a modern basis.
Who would benefit from this book: Historians would benefit, as would those interested in trading. Economists wanting to get a look at market microstructure would also benefit. Livermore, more than most, gives a full view of technical analysis, because he lays bare the motivations of players, and how other players attempt to devine those motivations.

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Hard Times in the Lands of Plenty: Oil Politics in Iran and Indonesia Review

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(More customer reviews)Unfortunate honesty... only review here is from my mother, Judy Rae Smith. Loving she is, but unbiased she is not. Ok.
I think the book does a decent job of explaining why some large oil-exporting countries evince political instability while most others don't. One thing I think it does well, and innovatively, is to establish the conditional effects of oil wealth--which some immensely smart scholars like Thad Dunning, Miriam Lowi and others have also elucidated. But it is imperfect, and I enjoy reviewing the article and book-length manuscripts by others who challenge, elaborate, my arguments in Hard Times. Mostly I was after accumulation of knowledge in writing it, and truthfully so many good pieces of research have come my way in the last three years that I am confident that has happened. See my author's page for contact information if you want directions to such research. --Ben Smith

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A Concise Economic History of the World: From Paleolithic Times to the Present Review

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(More customer reviews)This is one of the best books on economic history that I have read. This book is an excellent start for a person interested in economic history: it is well written, it is well structured, and overall fun to read. This book is an excellent overview and a very good guide. One thing for sure: it's an excellent way to spend your time. It enriched my knowledge of economics and history and became a good companion.

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This classic book offers a broad sweep of economic history from prehistoric times to the present and explores the disparity of wealth among nations. Now in its fourth edition, A Concise Economic History of the World has been updated to reflect the stunning changes in the world economy since 1989. Truly a definitive history of globalization, the new edition has been expanded to include coverage of the most recent developments in the European Union, East Asia, and, in general, transition economies. Comprehensive and global in scope, this concise text features ample illustrations and a fully updated annotated bibliography that guides readers to the relevant scholarly literature. Now available in eleven languages, including Spanish (second edition), French, German (two volumes), Polish, and Chinese, this unique work remains an invaluable, lively, and accessible text for both undergraduate and graduate students of European economic history, the history of globalization, and world development.

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A Time of Silence: Civil War and the Culture of Repression in Franco's Spain, 1936-1945 (Studies in the Social and Cultural History of Modern Warfare) Review

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(More customer reviews)A reader may be a bit disconcerted on first reading this book. There is much talk about "discourses" and "symbolism" and "ideology" and one might conclude that we are about to read a book of cultural studies on Francoist Spain. It is not so much that cultural studies are bad as that before we talk about perceptions of an event it might be a better idea to have a clear idea of what actually happened. As it happens such fears are groundless. What we have here is a brilliant portrait of the cruelty of Franco's regime. It is amazingly well documnted, with 95 pages of notes to 174 of text.
Richards argues that the ideology of the New State had two basic components. On the one hand the state had to purge Spain of the half of it who were secular, liberal, socialist, or regionalist. In a sense Franco's Spain would have to wage a permanent civil war against half of its own population. The other prong of the ideology was that Spain would follow a firm and ruthless policy of self-sufficiency. It has long been a cliche of much conservative and centrist discourse that notwithstanding the aid Franco got from the Axis, he should not be viewed as a fascist, but more as a classically "authoritarian" ruler, and therefore setting the stage for the properly pro-Western democracy that was to follow. Franco's goal were fundamentally traditional, as opposed to the radical ideology of the world's totalitarian regimes. Indeed, one could say the Nationalists were preferable to the Loyalists, who were now little more than Communist puppets. Such a thesis will soon appear next year when a book on that subject will be published by professional anti-communist Ronald Radosh. After reading this book, such complacent views will be placed firmly on the defensive.
For Richards starts with a chapter on the Francoist eliminiation of dissent. On the Loyalist side much of the violence was spontaneous in the aftermath of the breakdown of establish order in the wake of the coup. Juan Negrin, so often and so falsely dismissed as a Communist puppet, actually went of his way to patrol with militias in order to prevent political assasinations. On the nationalist side, by contrast, there was constant talk of extermination, liquidation, of an utterly uncompromising crusade from politicians who were proud of and not ashamed of the Spanish Inquisition. The Nazi press praised the Nationalists for their vigor: "The Marxist parties are being destroyed and exterminated down the very last cell far more dramatically even than here in Germany." Perhaps 6,000 were summarily executed in Seville alone before February 1937. (Richards adds "This was not violence which was `necessary' in any military sense: there was no organized armed resistance to speak of." ) In Granada perhaps 8,000 were killed, and perhaps 4,000 were killed in the first week at Malaga. A thousand were killed in the conquest of San Sebastian in the Basque Country, and another thousand at Bilbao. There were fourteen concentration camps in the area of Valencia alone, while Mussolini's son in law, Count Ciano, believed that there were 200 executions daily in conquered Madrid in the summer of 1939.
This cruelty was encouraged by an ideology that had a misogynist contempt for independent woman, and had a morbid support for "chastity" and "purity." But should also read Richard's chapters on autarky. Much of Franco's support came from smallholders, and Franco spoke of freeing Spain from the noxious influence of the cities. But in fact the peasants would be rendered powerless by Franco. Wheat production was lower in 1949 than at the end of the war, and what wheat did exist was guaranteed at high prices for rich producers, and subjected to speculation and the Black Market. Consumption of wheat fell by more than a quarter in the first decade of Falangist rule, as officials refused to upset their autarkic dreams by importing wheat to a country that could not feed itself. Indeed scarce food was shipped to Germany and Italy. While overcrowding and poverty increased, profits boomed and industrialists strengthened their privileges. All in all the first two decades to the New State were a total loss. A 1991 article by Giovanni Arrighi in the New Left Review demonstrates this. In the thirties Spain per capita wealth was about 40% of the European core. By 1959, Spain's wealth was less than 20%. Only after the economic boom did it rise again to pre civil war levels. In other words, a total waste.

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High Financier: The Lives and Time of Siegmund Warburg Review

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(More customer reviews)Ferguson's biography of Siegmund Warburg will be of strong interest for readers who find financial news interesting and are looking for a broader perspective on the geopolitics of finance, in particular Britain and the European bond market. It will surely be of less interest to general readers, especially American readers, than some of Ferguson's writings on more contemporary issues, and frankly would not be selling so well were the author someone other than Mr. Ferguson.
"High Financier" can be divided into three parts based on the word "Lives" in the subtitle. The first "life" of Siegmund Warburg was his German one, from 1902-1933, covered in the first 90 pages of the book. His second "life" was his "Anglo-American" life - this runs from 1934 through the 1950s, or about page 200 in the book. The focus here is on Warburg's efforts at increasing transatlantic financial ties. The remainder of the book, slightly more than half, includes his "Anglo-German" life, or his work from the 1950s through his death in 1982 which primarily focused on European integration.
That first part will be of most interest to readers interested in German history and the interwar period. One intriguing point is what Ferguson describes as Warburg's ambivalent feelings toward the Nazi rise to power. As an educated German Jew he was of course repelled by their anti-Semitism and thuggish manner. Yet Warburg's diary and correspondence show that elements of the Nazi program appealed to him. This appears to be because as a life-long man of the political left, Warburg felt a strong attraction to collectivist policy and hostility for the decadence of the bourgeoisie, and thus hoped a coalition government including them might do some good. Ferguson's point is that if even someone like Warburg could fail to understand the Nazis' true nature until 1934, we should be more understanding of people in other countries who took even longer.
Ferguson goes to some effort to portray Warburg as an active opponent of the Nazis once he fully realized the threat, but he tries too hard. He claims Warburg to have been "an ardent opponent of the policy of appeasement," but cites no public anti-Hitler statements prior to 1939. All of the footnotes cite his diary and private correspondence. Indeed, during the 1934-1939 period Warburg traveled to Germany regularly for business, and was never bothered by the regime. All his family had left the country except two uncles who had chosen to stay to maintain the family business. Maybe it was because he didn't become a British citizen until 1939, or maybe he was concerned about his uncles. But despite all the talk about "spiritual values," it is hard not to suspect that Warburg's life priorities were no different than those of any other banker.
In regard to Warburg's "Anglo-American" life, he spent some time in the U.S. at a young age in the late 1920s, before the crash, and with part of the Warburg family firmly established in New York. He considered first going there, but after moving to London in 1934 he was heavily involved in cross-Atlantic finance before his focus moved back toward the continent.
Warburg's third life, taking up just over half the book, is his Anglo-German life. I say that - and this is a term Ferguson uses himself - because while living in the UK is business focused primarily on European finance and the need for greater integration. Whether Warburg was as important as Ferguson claims, I don't know enough about British financial history 1945-1980 to judge. But he portrays Warburg as the father of the hostile takeover in Britain, and as key to the rise of the Eurobond market and to London's revival as a financial center generally.
Warburg does seem to have been a master of business management. Ferguson devotes significant space to Warburg correspondence on the principles of a banker's work and good management practices. I won't go into that here, but readers interested in business philosophy may find these segments fruitful.
Warburg was also a strategic visionary. Ferguson consistently portrays him as being ahead of his contemporaries when it comes to business and finance. But he also presents him as being farsighted in geo-strategic terms, foreseeing the synthesis of Kennan's containment and Kissinger's détente. In 1954 Warburg wrote that the keys to victory were "building up the strength of the Western allies, second, raising the standard of living in the East (particularly in South-East Asia), and third, by a relaxation of tension..."


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Time and Money: The Economy and the Planets (second edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)TIME & MONEY explores the connection between the planets and the major turning points in US History. It shows how planets affect our lives, our finances, great depressions, the stock market, wars and social upheavals.
Author Robert Gover's uncomplicated, easy to read style allows him to communicate Astrological information to readers who know nothing about Astrology. He offers a unique perception of the history of our country and of the world. He says. "The Native American as a race has been through the worst 'germ warfare' holocaust in known history. He shows us America through the viewpoint of Native Americans, African Americans, new immigrants, women and the poor. Not since THE UGLY AMERICAN has a book allowed us to see ourselves as the rest of the world sees us.
Like Thomas Paine, author of COMMON SENSE, Bob Gover tells it as he sees it, disturbing the powerful and inspiring the oppressed. He says, "Today most Americans and others from rich countries ignore the plight of the starving millions and the disappearance of the American middle class. Most Americans had no idea why we were attacked on Sept. 11, 2001 just as most Arabs had no idea why they were attacked by the Crusades in 1099."
He goes on to say "Back in the sixties, the Military-Industrial complex was all American. Now Congress has enabled big corporations to plunder countries all over the planet including our own homeland by outsourcing American jobs to third world countries and importing cheap labor from south of the border to downsize American workers."
The book explains the nature and purpose of money, how it is used and abused. Gover shows how to use Astrology to predict stock market tendencies. He reminds us: "The Dark Ages began with falling income at the bottom of the social ladder and spread up the ladder. Today real wages have begun to fall for 80% of the population."
He says: "Economic imbalance, dwindling oil, mass migration of distressed people, awful weather due to Global Warming bring out the best and worst in people." He warns that foreign central banks with massive dollar reserve holdings place the United States in a vulnerable position. China could get angry about Taiwan or the OPEC could disagree with our actions in the Middle East and replace dollars with Euros as their standard.
TIME & MONEY entertains, educates and gets us thinking. It keeps us turning pages and inspires us to examine who we are and where our country is right now. Gover's book shows how we use our time and our money. I would recommend the book to anyone who values time or money.
Maryanne Raphael, Writers World

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A New Economic View of American History: From Colonial Times to 1940 (Second Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)Let me speak here in law teacher mode: if you wanted to read just one book as background for law school, I think perhaps this should be the one. It's a model in terms both of substance and of presentation. In substance, the authors have done an admirable job of summing up the best available knowledge about the economy and how it came to be. In presentation, what they've done is to take an array of technical or specialized studies and to make them accessible to the determined non-specialist.
I remember it in terms of so many wonderful anecdotes. There are the farm girls from Vermont who staffed the mills in Massachusetts until the great Irish immigration drove them back to the farm. There are the restless young men from the prairies who rode the rafts down river to New Orleans, and then set off to see the world. There are the canals that lost all their capital value with the coming of the railroads - but then kept operating anyway, because it was more worthwhile to use them than to tear them up.
This is not, of course, precisely a law book. But it is a book about issues for the law: about slavery, about public land policy, about the structure of industry and finance. The chapters on the Great Depression alone would make a sufficient background for any course in constitutional or administrative law. For the authors, only two words: new edition.

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New sources of data, together with advances in theory, offer the opportunity for a fresh look at old and new questions.
This book asks such questions as: did mercantilism cause the American Revolution?; was slavery profitable?; and what were the causes of the Great Depression? Illustrated

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The Worldly Philosophers: The Lives, Times And Ideas Of The Great Economic Thinkers Review

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(More customer reviews)I read Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations" back in college my senior year, all 1200+ pages of it. I've read parts of Communist Manifesto and Capital by Karl Marx and some Joseph Schumpeter. I loved it all (especially Smith and Schumpeter) but it was BRUTAL as the dialects in those days varied so much from today's.
If you are new to economics or want summaries/insights into the greatest economists in history this book is for you. Mr. Heilbroner's book, the Worldly Philosophers, is the best books on economics I have come across and I have endured graduate level economic courses, both macro and micro (along with the undergraduate courses.) This book provides readers with a nice summary and analysis of the great Economic thinkers from Adam Smith, Karl Marx, David Ricardo, Mill, Keynes, Schumpeter and others. I found the book to be very general and not extremely analytical/scholarly if you will.
The summaries of each man's economic concepts and life/times in which he lived were extremely accurate. Additionally, I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that the author tries to explain the multi-disciplined nature of economics and how it is a combination of sociology, history, political science and philosophy all rapped into one. If you look at the London School of Economics graduate program you will find over 30 unique Masters Programs in economics as the field is increasingly becoming applied and specialized into different parts of the society. Mr. Heilbroner asks a question at the end such as "are we seeing the end of Worldly Philosophers?" as the field is increasingly getting more specialized and very few economists are tackling the "big picture" anymore and how the various components of an economy (land, labor and capital) are intertwined with each other. Definitely something to think about.....
I found myself sitting down and reading a chapter at a time, 50-60 pages, with no problems at all. Mr. Heilbroner doesn't give you everything but perhaps enough to chomp your teeth into the works of each philosopher on your own. At the end of the book he has a list of suggested readings for those seeking more information on any of the economists/subjects mentioned but, frankly, I don't think many can handle 99% of the stuff.

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The Worldly Philosophers is a bestselling classic that not only enables us to see more deeply into our history but helps us better understand our own times. In this seventh edition, Robert L. Heilbroner provides a new theme that connects thinkers as diverse as Adam Smith and Karl Marx. The theme is the common focus of their highly varied ideas -- namely, the search to understand how a capitalist society works. It is a focus never more needed than in this age of confusing economic headlines. In a bold new concluding chapter entitled "The End of the Worldly Philosophy?" Heilbroner reminds us that the word "end" refers to both the purpose and limits of economics. This chapter conveys a concern that today's increasingly "scientific" economics may overlook fundamental social and political issues that are central to economics. Thus, unlike its predecessors, this new edition provides not just an indispensable illumination of our past but a call to action for our future.

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On the Ball: What You Can Learn About Business From America's Sports Leaders Review

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(More customer reviews)I would highly recommend this book! I initially thought it was going to be a fun read about sports marketing. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the book was more about how to apply lessons from the sports world to the business world. As a strategy consultant, I found many of the examples given (especially on brand building, sponsorships, and customer needs) to be very relevant to the kind of work that I do with big consumer products companies. You can't afford to miss this one!

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You can learn powerful lessons about leadership, strategy, management, and marketing from today's highest-profile sports industry leaders. In this book, leading sports management consultant David M. Carter and ESPN sports business reporter Darren Rovell have written the most fun business book of the year -- and quite possibly, the most valuable. You'll learn the art of strategic alliances from the New York Yankees; entrepreneurship from NASCAR; branding from Tiger Woods and Andre Agassi; and turnaround strategy from Jerry Jones. You'll discover Minor League Baseball's breakthrough customer service techniques, and new approaches to entering markets and managing crises from NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. Courtesy of Major League Baseball, you'll even learn the do's and don'ts of effective employee relations. Carter and Rovell offer winning ideas for every business, plus an exclusive insider's look at the sports industry itself. Fast, timely, and fun, you won't be able to put this book down - and you'll never forget the business lessons it teaches.

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Unfinished Business - The Life and Times of Danny Gatton (Book) Review

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(More customer reviews)Finally! The long awaited biography of Danny Gatton by Ralph
Heibutzki has arrived. The best biographies provide insight
into the character, motives, and personality of their subject.
Who was Danny Gatton? In answering this question, Heibutzki
has done an admirable job. Through many, many interviews from
all the people who were part of Danny Gatton's life; family and
friends, I know so much more about this brilliant musician
who Steve Vai (no slouch guitarist himself!) describes on the
cover jacket, "...Danny Gatton comes closer to anyone else to
being the best guitar player to ever live."
What drove Gatton to suicide? How did he view himself as a
musician? Why was he at once once blase about fame and at
the same time so driven to acquire it? At one point, he
forgot to call John Fogerty back to join his band, but was
clearly very excited to be signed to Elektra Records.
He craved the notoriety and money that came with stardom,
but would rather play small clubs close to home and
work on customizing vintage cars.
Why wasn't he more famous? Wasn't he arguably the best?
Maybe it was precisely because of his extraordinary skill
level. Can it be that he could only be appreciated by other
musicians or guitarists? Many people (non musicians) I play
his music for elicit a "ho hum" reaction, while my mind is
reeling with his stunning technique and musicianship. Who
knows? As someone who knew him observed, "he never threw
away a note".
Those issues, and more, are addressed in this biography,
and I feel after reading it that I know Danny Gatton, the
person, a bit more. Good job Ralph!

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Danny Gatton was a players' guitar player, hailed by both Rolling Stone and Guitar Player as the greatest unknown guitarist anywhere. His legend has only grown since his untimely suicide in 1994, along with appreciation for his blinding speed, effortless genre-hopping, flawless technique, and never-ending appetite for tinkering and problem-solving. Drawing from first-hand interviews with dozens of friends, family members and fellow musicians, Unfinished Business places Gatton's musical contributions into context, and documents his influence on those peers who admired him most, including Albert Lee, Vince Gill, Arlen Roth and Lou Reed. 290 pages, 6 inch. x 9 inch. "Danny Gatton comes closer than anyone else to being the best guitar player that ever lived." - Steve Vai

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Creative Disruption: What you need to do to shake up your business in a digital world (Financial Times Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is an excellent business book along the lines of "The Innovator's Dilemma" and "I Live in the Future, and Here's How It Works." While quite British in its focus at times, that actually provides a nice change of pace and level of abstraction for American readers. The case studies are interesting, the writing always lively, and the book instructive and inspiring. The author brings many points home saliently, and reminds us how quickly things are changing. An excellent read!

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Winners Never Cheat: Even in Difficult Times, New and Expanded Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)Jon M Huntsman is a humble & self effacing man who quietly goes about his business; and business is good. He's a self-made billionaire who knows that success is attainable through hard work, determination, and of course; through honesty, integrity and generosity.
This book captures Huntsman's vision of setting good examples for the rest of society, by consistently doing the right things. This is a man who builds trust through his actions, and helps those less fortunate with his contributions of time and money. In his mind, whatever success he's attained is irrelevent to the big picture; and that's making our planet a better place to inhabit.
I'm sure all of us, from time to time, have witnessed actions of people we once trusted that made us think otherwise; whether it be shaving a stroke off their golf game to avoid losing a few bucks, double crossing us on a business deal, or worse, sabotaging a career. Once the trust has been destroyed, everything else collapses with it.
Huntsman, on the other hand, with his remarkable philosophy on life, is a shining example that successful people are measured more by their basic core values as human beings, than their net worth. Some, if they're really good; possess the ability to do it all.
Huntsman clearly fits that bill; and we're all just a little bit better off because of it. This is a great book, written by a truly great man.

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Author royalties from this book go to the Huntsman Cancer Foundation "The way Jon conducts his business and lives his life will not only inspire you to be a better person, citizen, and entrepreneur, it also will give you hope that the good guys don't finish last."Glenn Beck, CNN "Jon Huntsman is a different breed. He believes business is a creative endeavor, similar to a theater production, wherein integrity must be the central character."Larry King, CNN "Jon Huntsman's own life and personal values lend credence to his words. He walks his ethical talk."Neil Cavuto, Fox News "This book could put me out of business. Nobody would be happier about it than me."Wayne Reaud, Trial Attorney. The nationwide bestseller--fully updated for today's tough times and worldwide financial crises "Everyone does it." Everyone cheats. Cuts corners. Tells lies. Maybe it was different once. Not today. If you want to succeed in thiseconomic climate, you simply have to make compromises. Right? Wrong. You can succeed at the highest levels, without sacrificing the principles that make life worth living. The proof? You're holding it. Jon M.Huntsman built a $12 billion company from scratch, the old-fashioned way: with integrity. There were short-term costs and difficult decisions. There were tough times. Times just like today. But ultimately, leading with integrity wasn't just personally right for Huntsman, it also proved to be the best business strategy. In Winners Never Cheat, Huntsman tells you how he did it, and how you can, too. This book is about remembering why you work, and why you were chosen to lead. It's about finding the bravery to act on what you know is right, no matter what you're up against. It's about winning. The right way. Think about the kind of person you want to do business with. Then, be that person--and use this book to get you there.
Glenn Beck on Winners Never Cheat – Even in Difficult Times
The man who revolutionized the world by giving it the plastic spoon, fork, knife and Styrofoam take-out food container will once again change how you live your life. I can say that because that's what happened to me after reading Jon Huntsman's Winners Never Cheat.

In today's world where it increasingly appears that we can't trust our political or business leaders, this book is an unwavering reminder that traditional values never go out of style and are as essential today as they were forty years ago when Jon Huntsman launched a small chemical business that he grew into the world's largest privately held chemical corporation. Jon Huntsman doesn't like to be called a billionaire. He's uncomfortable with that title. I'm convinced he also doesn't like being one either because he's committed to giving away his hard-earned fortune—not after he dies, but during his lifetime. I believe in this book's message and its messenger. I have never in my life purchased any book by the case, except for this one. I give a copy to my friends who mistakenly believe that business can no longer be done with a look in the eye and a handshake. Many of the problems and much of the pain we're currently experiencing on Wall Street and Washington could have been avoided if those we trusted with our money and our power lived what's taught in these pages.

If you're looking for success, read this book. If you're wondering if you can be successful while staying true to your core principles, read this book. If you're wondering, like so many are, if capitalism has a bright future, read this book. I have and it's changed my life.

--Glenn Beck
Glenn Beck's newest book, The Christmas Sweater, follows the challenges and growth of a boy who struggles with the choices he has made and the decisions he yet must make. Beck is also the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, An Inconvenient Book, and The Real America. He is the host of the nationally syndicated radio show The Glenn Beck Program and will also be hosting his own television show on Fox News beginning in 2009.

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