Detectives in Togas

Book Description

In these two delightful history-mysteries, seven boys in Ancient Rome solve strange crimes . . . thanks to some help from their cranky teacher, a little bit of logic, and a lot of amusing misadventure.

Yes, Rufus wrote CAIUS IS A DUMBBELL on his tablet at school, but no, he did not break into the schoolroom, did not tie up his teacher, and certainly did not paint his slur about Caius on the Temple of Minerva (even if it is in Rufus's own handwriting). Rufus is doomed unless his six classmates can find out who is really responsible. Every hour seems to bring a new, confusing clue . . . until the boys finally stumble upon someone who is not what he appears to be.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book for reading aloud! .......2007-08-26

My kids really enjoyed this book. I read it aloud to them last year, when they were in 2nd & 3rd grade, as part of our study of ancient civilizations. The book is set in ancient Rome, but the children are essentially modern. My kids related to them much more than they did to, say, Laura and Mary Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie. Those girls were very much part of the pioneer era they lived in and my kids considered them humorless and boring, unlike the lively boys in this book.

At any rate, the book is a delightful way to learn many interesting facts about daily life in Rome, from how people got their daily news to what their homes and schools were like to what people ate to how the roman baths were cleaned, etcetera.

If you are not inclined to read aloud to your child (and if not, check out Jim Trelease "The Read-Aloud Handbook" - it may change your mind!), I think this book is better suited for the older elementary child, or for one with superior comprehension. My children did ask lots of questions during the reading of this book.

As good as I remembered it.......2007-06-22

Believe it or not, I first read Detectives in Togas when I was 9. That was a long, long time ago. I was thrilled when I found the paperback re-issue in the bookstore and bought it for my daughter. She is only 5, but loves history already. We are having a wonderful time, with me reading it to her and answering her questions about Roman history as best I can. I'm better with Egyptian and medieval history than Roman, but I manage.

great product.......2007-05-07

The book was delivered quickly and in great shape. No problems with transaction. This book was great for the unit I teach about Ancient Rome.

Recommend.......2007-03-08

Two of my children read this and couldn't put it down. They loved it! I would recommend it to those that like historical fiction/who-done-it thrillers!

Entertaining History.......2006-11-10

Making ancient history entertaining? For children?!? You bet.... Enhance your history studies by reading books that are written specifically to a child. Great book complete with historical accuracy & lively illustrations. Approximately 3rd grade reading level, interesting to even older elementary students. Don't rely on it for a primary source, but include it in a study of Greece. Nice book.

Class Action: The Story of Lois Jenson and the Landmark Case That Changed Sexual Harassment Law

Average customer rating:

Amazing book
Iron determination
A must read
Class Action
Class Action. Review from a reader

Class Action: The Story of Lois Jenson and the Landmark Case That Changed Sexual Harassment Law
Clara Bingham , and Laura Leedy Gansler
Manufacturer: Anchor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

North Country (Widescreen Edition)
North Country - Music From The Motion Picture
The Buffalo Creek Disaster: How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coal-mining history brought suit against the coal company--and won
Selling Women Short: The Landmark Battle For Workers' Rights At Wal-Mart
American Judicial Politics (2nd Edition)

ASIN: 0385496133
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Book Description

A petite single mother, Lois Jenson was among the first women hired by a northern Minnesota iron mine in 1975. In this brutal workplace, female miners were relentlessly threatened with pornographic graffiti, denigrating language, stalking, and physical assaults. Terrified of losing their jobs, the women kept their problems largely to themselves—until Lois, devastated by the abuse, found the courage to file a complaint against the company in 1984. Despite all of the obstacles the legal system threw at them, Lois and her fellow plaintiffs enlisted the aid of a dedicated team of lawyers and ultimately prevailed. Weaving personal stories with legal drama, Class Action shows how these terrifically brave women made history, although not without enormous personal cost. Told at a thriller’s pace, this is the story of how one woman pioneered and won the first sexual harassment class action suit in the United States, a legal milestone that immeasurably improved working conditions for American women.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing book.......2007-08-04

I grew up on "da range" and I'm familiar with the mines. My hometown is Hoyt Lakes, not very far from Eveleth. My dad and one of my uncles worked at LTV Steel outside of Hoyt Lakes, I think even my brother worked there for a while. I don't remember hearing anything of the trial. Back in 1998 I was 9 years old. I became familiar with it, when they were filming the movie North Country while I was going to the community college in Virginia. I've watched the movie multiple times. Then this summer in one of my English classes we were required to read Class Action. By the time the class finished I hadn't finished the book yet, but that didn't stop me from reading it. This is a really great book, and I've had a hard time putting it down. Its so interesting to learn the facts of the case, and was even more surprised when I recognized some of the last names of the people. I haven't quite finished yet, I have about 60 pages to go. I keep finding myself getting irritated with the rulings of Judge McNulty. This is a very important book, and in my opinion everyone should read it.

Iron determination.......2006-08-28

Like some other reviewers I came across this book after seeing the movie North Country. The movie though is just good entertainment pulling at the heartstrings and very loosely based on the legal problems of single mother Lois Jenson.

The book, I'm pleased to say, is much more gripping and will keep you turning the pages until the end. I thought it raised various issues like:

*Why did the legal aspects of this case take from 1984 until a settlement in 1998? In 1997 a judgement from the Eighth Circuit court commented on the 'inordinate delay' and that it simply was not possible for the parties to get justice 'when a final outcome is issued more than ten years' after the case was filed and more than fifteen years since Lois started her class action.

*Why did the mineworkers union maintain such a male chauvinist view towards its female members? I always assumed that Minnesota folk, historically populated by hard working European immigrants in a hostile physical environment would have been much more sympathetic to the sexual harassment that went on year after year in the mines. In fact very few males come out of this story with much credibility, from the mine management down to the union, they are really shown to be sexist and ultra conservative when females start to (legally) work in their domain.

*Why did it take so long for the mines main insurance company, who were going to be the ultimate payers of any compensation, to get to grips with the case? When they did get closely involved in 1998 the problems seemed to evaporate and the ladies got their money

The authors write in a simple straightforward style fortunately avoiding flowery generalisations that seem a staple of non-fiction writing. The story unfolds in a logically time frame from March 1975 to the final financial settlement in November 1998. Early on there is an excellent historical overview of the Mesabi Range and the importance of the raw materials lying just under the surface. A nice touch I thought was the frequent explanations of points of law and how these affected the progress of the case.

A couple of points occurred to me as a read the book: I would have liked to see a listing at the start describing the principals, frequently a name popped up and I wondered who the person was having seen a mention maybe a hundred pages earlier. So much of the story describes the mine and other buildings, a simple diagram of the plant layout would have been helpful.

'Class Action' is a powerful narrative about a hostile working environment and the legal system and it reminds of a quote by Thomas Noon Talfourd:
Fill the seats of justice
With good men not so absolute in goodness
As to forget what human frailty is.

BTW. I wanted to see photos of the four heroes of the book, the wonderful Lois Jenson and her legal team Paul Sprenger, Jane Lang and Jean Boler and I found them all through Google Images.

A must read.......2006-05-29

A story of great courage and resolve, of working conditions beyond the pale, and the vicissitudes of the courts. Well written, in journalistic style, this is a page-turner, as well as being thoroughly researched, and factually accurate.

Class Action.......2006-05-09

This is by far one of the best books I have ever read. This is something our school kids should be required to read as well. The 2 ladies who wrote this book did an excellent job of telling Lois Jenson's real story. Her story, while tragic, needs to be told. The movie doesn't do this book justice.

Class Action. Review from a reader.......2006-04-17

This is a must read for anyone considering a civil suit. Unlike the other reviewers, I did not feel this book glorified the lawyers. On the contrary, Bingham and Gangsler went further than any other writer by exposing the cost of litigation - the abuse and exploitation of injured litigants by lawyers and judges who make their living off our courts. Lori Jenson is the only heroine in this story. Through the authors I felt her pain and realized her sacrifice for all of us.

But, the screenwriters of North Country made a mistake by concentrating on the sexual harassment part of this story in their version of this book. It is as if they did not read past the first few chapters. The screen writers either missed the message or underestimated the fears of litigants in the over 100 million cases filed each year in American courts. The wider scope of injustice, the legal and judicial wrongs exposed in this book, would have made a better story. But, even if you appreciated the movie, North Country, you need to read this story. The truths it reveals about America's justice system demands that Class Action be a part of everyone's personal library.

Clara: The Story of the Pug Who Ruled my Life

Average customer rating:

i owe so much to this book.
Clara-Quick Read
never received item
This book is great for pug lovers
Wonderful book for Pug lovers

Clara: The Story of the Pug Who Ruled my Life
Margo Kaufman
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Tao of Pug
Pug Hill
Homer For The Holidays: The Further Adventures of Wilson the Pug
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Letters to a Young Pug (Wilson the Pug)

ASIN: 0452281369

Amazon.com

You would think that a 12-pound dog would know her place in the world. Well, you obviously haven't met Clara, the pug that rules writer Margo Kaufman's life and the topic of discussion in Clara: The Early Years, Kaufman's hilarious account of living with the imperious pug. Kaufman, author of This Damn House! and the Hollywood correspondent for Pug Talk magazine, admits to being the "Official Pug Lollipop," a fact that Clara takes full advantage of. From their first meeting in a New York hotel room, Kaufman knows that Clara is "different": "Five minutes after her arrival, she inspected our junior suite like Leona Helmsley checking to see if the chocolate mints on the pillows were lined up at the right angles. Clara noticed the spacious queen-sized bed, the plush carpet, and the cozy loveseat in my sitting room. She beheld the cold hard floor--tile, not even marble--in her tiny bathroom. And she realized that the Human had put her own comfort over the pug's--a serious error that must be corrected at once so the Human would not make this mistake again." Sure, most people would have run screaming from the little Hitler, but not Kaufman. She's instantly smitten with the tiny, "bat-eared," "jack-o'-lantern"-toothed puppy, as the whole world soon would be. Joining Kaufman on book tours, stealing the show with her designer doggy cap and natural on-air charm, posing for photographs (to be used in dog-food endorsements, no less), and generally hamming it up and handing out orders, Clara comfortably stakes her claim to the Kaufman clan--including fellow pug Sophie. But when Kaufman and her husband decide to adopt Nicholas, a Siberian orphan, Clara feels the limelight slipping away. Wrapped in bureaucratic red tape, the adoption process involves not only months of paper pushing but a trip to Siberia that just about puts Clara over the top. Luckily, the persnickety pug accepts Nicholas into the fold and all is well in Clara's universe. As for the Kaufmans, well, indentured servitude to a pug isn't so bad. Kaufman's witty observations--combined with Clara's unforgettable antics--make for a memorable read. --Stefanie Hargreaves

Book Description

"Before Clara, I was not a Pet Parent. The Pugs were dogs. Cute dogs, willful dogs, lovable to be sure, but I was Human. I was in charge. Then along came Clara, and all bets were off."--Margo Kaufman, from Clara

Acclaimed columnist Margo Kaufman fell in love with pugs when she was nineteen. But none of her previous pets could compare with Clara, a glossy black, twelve-pound package of pug charm and pugnacity with the face of an imp, the heart of a ham, the seductive skills of a slut, and the deductive gifts of a genius. It didn't take long for Clara to let her new pug parents know who was ruling their California household--whether she's sipping Evian from a cut-crystal bowl at Saks, or performing a star turn on PrimeTime Live. Filled with the author's trademark wit and dry observations, Clara is the hilarious and heartwarming story of the unforgettable pug.

Customer Reviews:

i owe so much to this book........2007-08-14

After stumbling upon this book in a tiny country bookshop, i read it in just a few days and fell deeply in love with pugs. i was completely charmed my the author's dogs, especially Clara, and soon i had rescued my own little black pug from a shelter. My pug goes with me everywhere, and as the author states, "is living proof that god has a sense of humor." these little dogs make me laugh every day, and this book will make you laugh on every page. Clara, Margo, and their adventures in LA will have you splitting your sides, and whether this is your first introduction to pugs, or your a long time lover of the breed, you will relate to and be touched by this book in unexpected ways.

Clara-Quick Read.......2007-07-08

I really enjoyed the first half of the book, after all we do have two black
pugs, but the second half was more about their adoption of a foreign baby and the pug story got left by the wayside.

never received item.......2006-11-10

I have been waiting since Sept. and I never received this item!

This book is great for pug lovers.......2006-10-26

but for those of us going through adoption, it was a bit cold. I actually shuddered when she spoke of her reluctance towards adopting a Chinese girl. I might be overly sensitive here, but it did strike me a bit racist. I also have a puggy whom I adore, but if there's any problem between her and my to be adopted daughter, I'm afraid that puggy will have to go live at my mum's. Anyone who isn't ready to put their human child first really isn't ready for parenthood (on the bright side, the author eventually did come around to putting her son first, but I've seen quite a few couples who were so wrapped up with their dogs that it's like the kid should be kept in a cage, and that's not right. This is why people like Caesar Milan exist to teach yuppies the importance of treating dogs like dogs and not spoiling them as children).
Overall, very interesting story. I'm sorry that the author lost her battle to cancer. Unlike one of the other posters, my first thought wasn't "Poor Clara", but "Poor Nickie" to have lost the only mum that he's ever really known. I'm sure that die hard dog (and especially pug) people will be mad at me for this review, but I'm not a dog person. I'm a person who happens to have a dog that I love. I agree that pugs are the only dogs cute enough to make one put up with the hassle of dog ownership (it is very costly, restricts much of your time and vacations, and there usually is something in the house to clean). I love my puggy to death, but she is absolutely my first and last dog. Hopefully, with this book, readers can get a sense of what it's really like to live with this breed (there's quite a tale about an expensive eye operation) so they can look before they leap into pug ownership.

Wonderful book for Pug lovers.......2006-08-25

If you don't own a Pug, you won't understand the humor. If you do, you're going to love this book!

Average customer rating:

This book is so depressing.

The Rabbit Who Longed For Home
Lilian Edvall
Manufacturer: R & S Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding

Picture Books | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 9129653916

Book Description

A little rabbit learns to love day care.

Once upon a time there was a rabbit who was afraid of going to day care. But as it happened, the rabbit's mommy and daddy both went off to work every day, so he had to go to day care. Then a new rabbit teacher arrived. She had unusually long ears-- and she was especially nice-- and every morning the rabbit got to sit on her lap. One day when he had sat there for a while, he realized he wanted to get down and play. Soon he was no longer hiding under the bed when it was time to leave in the morning!

Any child facing the challenge of going off to day care or school for the first time will immediately identify with the reluctant hero of this gentle tale. Warm, glowing pictures bring the everyday details of day care and school alive.

Customer Reviews:

This book is so depressing........2005-07-31

I thought this book was just awful. This poor little bunny wants nothing more than to be with his mommy, but she dumps him off at daycare. The book talks about how all the bunny does is sit at the window and cry every day.

Eventually a pretty teacher comes and lets him sit on his lap and he sort of begins to forget to be miserable 100% of the time. Then he gets the news that he's going to get a little brother/sister and although his mommy wouldn't stay home just for him, she'll stay home if there's another kid coming? Yeah, whatever.

The general message seems to be: your mid will be miserable but eventually he'll become numb to the misery. Not quite the message I'd want to send to my kid.

Clara and Asha (Ala Notable Children's Books. Younger Readers (Awards))

Average customer rating:

Wicked awesome book
One of the Best Children's Books I've read this year!
A Flying Fish Only Rohmann Could Paint
Wonderful bed time book with enchanting pictures
Fishy dreams

Clara and Asha (Ala Notable Children's Books. Younger Readers (Awards))

Manufacturer: Roaring Brook Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Bedtime & Dreaming | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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The Cinder-Eyed Cats
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My Friend Rabbit

ASIN: 1596430311
Release Date: 2005-08-25

Amazon.com

Leave it to Caldecott-winning illustrator Eric Rohmann to exactly capture the touching, transporting beauty of a girl hugging a fish. In fact, Rohmann may have some practice at it, having arranged a repeat performance of sorts with Asha here (the fishy friend in Clara and Asha), so similar is she to her smiling piscine counterpart in 1997's wonderfully dreamy Cinder-Eyed Cats.

To call Asha a "flying" fish would be a misnomer--Asha properly floats, as she does from the beginning of this book when she drifts in through the bedroom window of Clara, a pony-tailed girl who can't bring herself to fall asleep. ("'Clara! Time for bed,' my mom calls. But I'm not sleepy, so I open my window...and wait for Asha.") Rohmann's sweeping, lyrical, painterly style here--much more similar to Cats and Prairie Train than to My Friend Rabbit--provides a perfect backdrop for Clara and Asha's frolics. As with the huge fish in Cinder-Eyed Cats, imaginary-friend Asha seems to be brought to life from a child's longing alone (in this case, coaxed out of the statuary of a park fountain), so she;s more than happy to play tag, take baths, have tea parties, and even help Clara with her Halloween costume (as, naturally, a fisherman).

The last half of this bedtime picture-book follows Clara and Asha across several sleepy, wordless, panoramic spreads, as the duo navigates (and swoops, and somersaults) by starlight across the night sky. This graceful drop in tempo should soothe even the most hyper victim of a tucking-in--which is more than can be said for poor Clara, who receives yet another imaginary-animal visitor just as Asha excuses herself. (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes

Book Description

In Clara and Asha -- as in Eric Rohmann's Caldecott Medal-winning My Friend Rabbit-a simple storyline becomes the basis for fun and sophistication. Clara's friend Asha is an enormous fish, which means that hide-and-seek, Halloween, snow days, and afternoons in the park offer surprising opportunities for adventure. With oil paintings that playfully suggest stories within stories and convey great emotional range, this is a captivating book about the special world of a child's imagination--where a giant fish might come to visit, and the things you do and the things you fell with an imaginary friend are intensely real.

Customer Reviews:

Wicked awesome book.......2007-01-20

book was in perfect condition and didn't take too long on shipping.

One of the Best Children's Books I've read this year!.......2006-09-14

Amazing, amazing illustrations. Simple yet intriguing writing. Clara and her imaginary friend, Asha, tell a story most kids know and live in their minds. The flow of the pictures, characters and words allow one to delve into the mind of a child and relax to their thoughts. This book made me want to buy it for all the kids I know and read it to them together to watch their expressions as the pages turn.

A Flying Fish Only Rohmann Could Paint .......2006-07-18

While it doesn't have that wondrous vintage animation look that highlighted his Caldecott Medal winning "My Friend Rabbit," Eric Rohmann has another winner in always the classic motif of a girl and her fish. That's part of the fun here, we can imagine a girl or boy and his dog, or horse, or even pet rabbit--but a fish? With the exception of "Finding Nemo," "Mr. Limpet," and a few other famous fictional fish (and the former are both movies), the finned set is hardly the stuff of which dreams are made of. Yet, that's exactly what Rohmann does, and his enormous talent as storyteller and illustrator makes this seem almost as familiar and stories featuring animals that are more typical.

Rohmann pulls off this by setting his fish tale within a standard kids' book formula: The youngster who has fantastic dreams about some object encountered while awake, often a toy. Even within this context, Rohmann shows his originality, for the referent is not some household plaything, but the fish that form the base of a fountain seen by the young girl at the park.

The next problem with fish is that some people think they're slimy, ugly creatures akin to other people's image of snakes. So...how do you make a fish look loveable? Rohmann's oil paintings are uncluttered, fresh, and surprisingly light for their medium. The fish's big eyes and friendly face, it's very buoyancy, make it seem like a Macy's Parade float or a giant kite, rather than some dark, ugly-mouthed lunker bottom-feeding in some briny seawater. The fish actually looks huggable, and so when the little girl hugs her imagined fish, it looks real and seems--well, warm and cute. Rohmann also draws his well-known panoramas, including one where the giant (but floaty-friendly) fish takes her on a ride through the skies, planting her safely back to the bed from which she dreamed him. The dream device, by the way, is done in a subtle that permits a toddler audience to suspect that the gentle adventure might be more than "only a dream."

As with "My Friend Rabbit," Rohmann the storyteller provides a little twist at the story's conclusion: When a big alligator shows up next at the girl's window, the most watchful of readers/listeners may remember seeing a toy alligator several pages earlier. Another simple yet imaginative outing from Rohmann.

Wonderful bed time book with enchanting pictures.......2006-06-05

My 18 month old daughter asks for this book every night. The pictures are absoultely delightful.

My personal favorite pictures are the dreamy imagines of a little girl and her imaginary friend floating on bubbles in the sky.

It is a book that I love reading over and over again. It is enchanting.

Fishy dreams.......2006-05-13

I have trouble catching enough Zzzz's most nights, because it's prime time for my imagination. With the lights out and the house quiet, I'm free to let my overactive mind roam, even as my body begs for deeper rest.

I have an ally in Clara, a restless tyke who can't will herself to sleep, even as an off-stage mother insists it's bedtime in this lush, dreamy story of what happens after the lights go on in a little girl's head.

A fish named Asha comes to life after the two meet "in the park" where Asha's really a fountain statue. True to a child's outsized creativity, the pretend Asha is larger than life and swims through the air, frolicking with Clara in the tub or in the snow and on many other outings.

On this night, they sail across a night sky together in wordless, panoramic spreads painted in sleepy midnight hues. A hush falls over my little one too as the pair soars across the starry pages before Clara settles into bed, only to be kept awake by another potential buddy. I can almost feel his pulse slowing as the story drifts to its close.

Average customer rating:

Clara Caterpillar
My kids and I loved Clara Caterpillar!
Fabulous!
Clara Caterpillar

Clara Caterpillar
Pamela Duncan Edwards
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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Some Smug Slug
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I Wish I Were a Butterfly

ASIN: 0064436918
Release Date: 2004-02-17

Book Description

Such a clever caterpillar!

A carefree cabbage caterpillar named Clara, who becomes a common cream–colored butterfly, can't possibly compete with a catty, conceited caterpillar named Catisha, who becomes a captivating crimson–colored butterfly. Or can she?

Ages 3 – 6

Customer Reviews:

Clara Caterpillar.......2007-01-23

I was searching for children's books with my new granddaughters name, Clara, and when I came across this book I liked the story. The moral of the story is "Clara is so capable and courageous" and "And I'm a completely contented butterfuly" said Clara, and I hope that my granddaughter Clara will grow up capable, courageous and content.

My kids and I loved Clara Caterpillar!.......2001-11-25

This is story about hidden talents, not judging someone by their appearance etc. and it is very clever. I especially liked the fact that the hero in this story is female. I bought this story for my son's 5th birthday, but my 8 year old daughter simply adored this book. After I read it aloud to him a couple of times I saw her pick it up and read it to herself again and then to him when he asked her to. (She is not normally gung-ho for reading)Great story. Fantastic pictures.

Fabulous!.......2001-06-14

Absolutely delightful! Beautiful illustrations accompany the alliterative text that tells the tale of a cream colored butterfly who pales in comparison to her spectacular butterfly friends. But when Clara's relatively plain appearance helps her to save another butterfly, the other butterflies recognize her true value. An outstanding read aloud.

Clara Caterpillar.......2001-05-10

Clara Caterpillar is a fabulous book for many reasons!! My kids enjoyed hearing the tongue tripping tale and love reading it aloud themselves. The alliterative style is quite ear catching. The illustrations are vibrant and colorful. The pictures draw you into the garden until you feel like another bug.

This book is perfect to use with students. I used this to teach caterpillar metamorphosis. It will also be read frequently to illustrate accepting and admiring the unique qualities of individuals. No classroom library would be complete without this book!

The Real Story of Informix Software and Phil White: Lessons in Business and Leadership for the Executive Team
Average customer rating:

Little "business" in this book

A Case Study of Strategic Failures and CEO Criminal Prosecution

White Pride

A "must read" for anyone connected to Silicon Valley in the 1990's - or today!

The Best Silicon Valley Book. Period.

The Real Story of Informix Software and Phil White: Lessons in Business and Leadership for the Executive Team
Steve W. Martin
Manufacturer: Sand Hill Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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Heavy Hitter Selling: How Successful Salespeople Use Language and Intuition to Persuade Customers to Buy

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ASIN: 0972182225

Book Description

The Real Story of Informix Software and Phil White chronicles the meteoric rise of Informix Software, how it became a billion-dollar software giant, and the scandal that ultimately led to its spectacular fall. This fascinating behind-the-scenes book offers an insider'ss perspective on the business strategies that succeeded, the products that failed, and how a technology industry titan ended up in jail.

Customer Reviews:

Little "business" in this book.......2006-09-17

The word "boring" comes to mind when trying to describe this book. It is obvious that much of it is filler material with very little "business" oriented material. It's not necessary to know any level of details about specific products like "4GL," etc. to explain the business view of what happened.

This book is more a history of Informix than anything else. The "Lessons Learned" are very basic and could be covered in 1/4 the pages.

There is nothing special at all in this book.

My advice is to save your money and skip it.

A Case Study of Strategic Failures and CEO Criminal Prosecution.......2006-04-26

Software businesses are hard to run. Customers all think they need slightly different code. Salespeople make promises that no one in the company knows about. Acquisitions seem to offer unlimited potential . . . but usually lead to disaster. Accounting rules don't always make a lot of sense. If you lose momentum, your key people leave for the competition. A competitor can cut your sales off at the knees with a timely new product that works. Your new products barely run when they are first introduced.

So is it any wonder that few software companies prosper in the long run?

This book seems to be primarily aimed at correcting the public record about how and why Informix Software tanked in 1997 and how the company's CEO ended up pleading guilty to a count of securities fraud and spending two months in jail.

If I take the book's material at face value, it does look like Mr. White was more guilty of being naive than of securities fraud. The explanation of the rebooking of revenues to follow more conservative accounting seems to make it abundantly clear that there was no massive fraud at Informix, despite what the newspapers said to the contrary at the time.

Any new software CEO would benefit from reading this book. Investors who are thinking about buying software stocks should also read this book and lie down until the urge to buy goes away.

People who want a serious history of Informix or its industry will find the book to be superficial and incomplete.

White Pride.......2005-11-25

This is an interesting, if sterile, dissection of the rise and fall of one-time Silicon Valley darling Informix and their charismatic CEO, Phil White. Author Steve Martin was an Informix employee in the critical years from 1991 through 1997, and therefore speaks with the authority and insider's knowledge not found in the perspective of an outside journalist, burdened by the baggage of an interviewee's selective recall. Martin couples with the history a series of business lessons, which, while not profound, provide a succinct primer of management basics that are broadly applicable. Not the least of these lessons is the danger in allowing personal rivalries to cloud sound business judgment. In the case of Informix, an irrational focus on beating Oracle and it's obnoxious CEO, Larry Ellison, could be traced to Informix's eventual demise. While Martin is admittedly a Phil White sympathizer, he is not an apologist, and does a good job of presenting the other side of the story that was so negatively twisted by a scandal-crazed press and a US Justice Department which, in the days of Enron and WorldCom, was chomping at the bit to get a major CEO in handcuffs doing the perp walk wearing stripes. Even the most cynical critic of Informix and White must concede that the offense that ultimately sunk the Informix ship was disproportional to the consequences delivered by Judge Breyer.

This book will be most appreciated by those who have lived and worked in Silicon Valley during the days immediately preceding the Internet boom and subsequent bust, as well as those not intimidated by a fairly heavy dosage of product-related technical jargon. Having been a Silicon Valley CEO at the time with some familiarity with White and the team, I was hoping for more specifics in the disastrous Illustra acquisition - especially more of the personalities involved - but that in no way impacts a solid story that deserves to be chronicled. In summary, if you're looking for an orgy of Informix gossip and dirty laundry, this isn't it. But for a quick and insightful history of an important chapter in Silicon Valley, "The Real Story of Informix Software..." is worth the time.

A "must read" for anyone connected to Silicon Valley in the 1990's - or today!.......2005-11-21

The Real Story of Informix Software and Phil White is a ticket to experiencing the roller coaster ride that was Silicon Valley of the last decade. The book succeeds on several levels - as an engaging chronicle of the DB wars of the 1990's, as an intriguing character study of Phil White, and -more subtly - as a pitch for Martin's other book, "Heavy Hitter Selling". Martin's pinpoint analysis and description of Informix' winning (and losing) sales strategies proves his sales acumen. I was also in sales at Informix during this era and frankly we were so busy "doing" it's remarkable how Martin was also able to observe and analyze so precisely while consistently blowing out his numbers and making it to the vaunted "Summit Club".

Also, Martin really makes Phil "come to life". In the book he's colorful, whereas in my memory he is bloodless - all stark steel and blonde. (That's probably because he struck terror in me and I tried to avoid him at all costs!!) It's actually a flattering portrait of the man - Martin is able to vindicate Phil even as he criticizes his mistakes.

The prose is crisp, clear and descriptive. Even though Martin is the narrator and a first-hand observer of the action recounted, he does not over tread the story. I like how he embedded contemporaneous quotes from magazine and newspaper articles. The technique allows the author to seamlessly traverse among many "voices" in the narrative. Also, the simple but cohesive structure of the year by year chronology works. Plus I liked the use of analogy. For example, comparing Informix to Oracle and Sybase via their similarity to a Chevy (reliable), a Mercedes (first class) and a Porsche (fast!, fun!) provides imagery as to how customers viewed the companies. And lastly, as a great software salesman, Martin gives full credit to the Systems Engineers - the technical sales personnel so critical to winning deals. Even though I lived through this era, I believe the book transcends the particulars and illustrates what it takes to succeed in business in today's tumultuous times.

The Best Silicon Valley Book. Period........2005-11-16

Without a doubt, this is the most interesting Silicon Valley book I have ever read. Irregardless if you work at HP, Sun, IBM, Oracle, SAP, or any other hi-tech company, I strongly recommend reading this book. It provides relevant lessons for hi-tech management, product case studies for developers, sales strategies for marketeers, and a concise analysis of a Silicon Valley time period that shaped our industry as we know it today.

First $20 Million Is Always the Hardest:, The: A Silicon Valley Novel

Average customer rating:

Liar's Poker of Silicon Valley
This book pulled me into the entrepreneur business!
GREAT SILICON VALLEY NOVEL -- FICTION FUN
Fun, Fun, Fun . . . then Fizzle
Insultingly stupid and extremely cheesy

First $20 Million Is Always the Hardest:, The: A Silicon Valley Novel
Po Bronson
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Bombardiers: A Novel
The Nudist on the Late Shift: And Other True Tales of Silicon Valley
What Should I Do with My Life?: The True Story of People Who Answered the Ultimate Question
"Why Do I Love These People?": Understanding, Surviving, and Creating Your Own Family
Burn Rate : How I Survived the Gold Rush Years on the Internet

ASIN: 0679456996
Release Date: 1997-02-25

Amazon.com

Bronson's last novel, Bombardiers, was wonderful, so it comes as no surprise that his latest novel is just marvelous. What does it take for entrepreneurs to risk everything, develop a product, start a company, and take it public? When social idealism, corporate politics, petty jealousies, money fever--all part of the business landscape in Silicon Valley--meet, the results make for a fun, fast-paced read. And if you're familiar with the culture of Silicon Valley, you'll find yourself asking if this is a novel or a chronicle of the times. Just make sure you clear your calendar before picking up this book--you won't be doing anything else until you finish.

Book Description

When he dazzled the literary establishment in March, 1995 with Bombardiers, a stunning debut novel that skewered greedy Wall Street bond traders and satirized the inner workings of high finance, readers were scrambling to buy futures on Po Bronson's career.

Now, Bronson unleashes his talent (and fury) on Silicon Valley and rips the top off the computer industry, tracking the routes of power, exposing the crisscrossed wiring, and poking fun at its obsolete components.

Lloyd Acheson's firm, Omega Logic, needs a next-generation chip to keep its stock price propped up. Hank Menzinger squandered his research lab's cash reserves in a failed IPO and needs Omega Logic's support to save his institution. But master chip designer Francis Benoit's last chip for Omega was dumbed-down by software, and he's vowed to never let it happen again.

New at the research lab is Andy Caspar, a young engineer who dreams of becoming a legendary "ironman" -- one of the handful of engineers (like those behind Netscape, Apple, and Intel) whose technological breakthroughs have secured them a place in history.

Andy begins work on a new project, not realizing the extent to which he's caught up in the power struggle of the older men. The story reveals the brutal, absurd side of the industry, as Andy pushes forth with his dream but is betrayed at every turn.

Customer Reviews:

Liar's Poker of Silicon Valley.......2007-04-18

Po Bronson is Silicon Valley's Michael Lewis. Po Bronson does with this novel what Scott Adams did with comic strips. The characters in the book reminded me of the movie Office Space. Although, the book has a much superior plot. This book caricatures the personality of the Silicon Valley and is written to be made into a movie. It made me burst into laughters and some steep turns in the story made me gape in wonder.

It was a nice and fun read; with a peppy and ruthless sense of humor. It is a casual read for the most part. When the plot thickens, you've got to pay attention to some details to convince yourself that you did not get tricked. Fellow geeks and nerds would enjoy it the most, if not all engineers!

This book pulled me into the entrepreneur business!.......2006-12-15

I read this book when I was straight out of the university. And man what an influence it had over me! Over the past two years, I am going through almost the same as I am struggling to start on my own. The deeper I get into the business world, the more I can relate to it. This book is, by all means, a must read for young engineers.

GREAT SILICON VALLEY NOVEL -- FICTION FUN .......2006-08-04

Po Bronson is a major non-fiction writer of our tgime-- he was a feature writer for WIRED and has written for NY Times Magazine, Forbes ASAP and more-- He knows the culture. You may be familiar with his more recent books -- especially on career change. This is a fun book written back in 2000 that holds up well. Especially because it's about a breakthgough technology lab caught up in a power struggle and a filed IPO etc. A little bit Manic, very funny and high tech insider views. Opens with the exit interview transcript for Andy Caspar, sales and marketing and his voluntary departure...NO it's not about BILL GATES in his author's notes Po explains that there is some relevance to the NOT GATES phrase because when electrical power comes into a NOT gate, the charge is canceled. As a writer for WIRED -- he kept hearing stories that represented in effect NOT gates-- entrepreneurs who were impeded, cheated or canceled by the gatekeepers of power-- in other words how they tried to fight red tape and get the big guys on their side and it was a no go. He mentions that his subtext is to bypass Bill Gates operating systems -- to create a new paradigm of technology that ignores operating systems...and it reminds us that as he says the human creative spirit is irrepressible, maybe you can spindle, fold and stamp it out for awhile but it the flame comes back-- sometimes as a simmer, sometimes as a boiling point and sometimes as self-immolation but it's hard to STAMP IT OUT -- the gate opens and closes -- and sometimes you have to wirecut a hole in it or jump over it or create a new design and get rid of the barbed wire old-fashioned look. Much of the time you're working with a team and that's this story 4 oddballs (but aren't we all in some way) who strive to beat the system at any cost-- but it does cost them a LOT.

Fun, Fun, Fun . . . then Fizzle.......2004-06-28

Author and Silicon Valley insider, Po Bronson, writes a very funny novel about four quirky guys with the right stuff who want to create something that matters in the realm of computers. From cutting edge software and hardware development companies to Palo Alto think tanks, the plot follows the creation of a less than $300 computer from a list of low priority projects at the think tank level to the actual modeling of a prototype that gets one rival top dog engineer's undies in a knot. The trials and tribulations that face the group compare to the highs and lows of an EKG with enough back-stabbing, personality manipulation and corporate espionage to keep the reading at a wonderous pace up until the last 20 or so pages. The crafting of the dramatic persona, especially the four progtammer/hardware specialists hinges closely to the usual stereotypical portrayals of techno geeks seen in movies and television shows. However this does not detract from the fun level of the story; indeed one gets the sense that these portrayal closely model reality. What does detract is the rather abrupt ending which winds down what could have been an all out page-turning business adventure with a stop-on-a-dime conclusion that certainly did not satisfy me.

Perhaps having seen the rather burlesque film version of this novel, I naively was expecting more bells and whistles and a more thorough troncing of rival engineer and threat Benoit. It never came, but perhaps that is due to the fact that I know nothing about the world of Silicon Valley where Bronson's could-be spoofs on the computer industry's behind the scenes star would lose their bite. Happily, the novel does not force a romance between Caspar and his housemate as in the movie version; here the attraction is noted and the reader can use his imagination to determine the outcome. Thank you, Po.

All in all, I enjoyed the novel; I just wish it had a longer ending.

Insultingly stupid and extremely cheesy.......2003-12-02

Bad characters, inane and obvious plot and zero writing style make this one of the worst books I've ever had the misfortune to read. If you have any interest in the world of business or silicon valley and the computer industry you should find this book laughable. And to make matters worse Po Bronson takes the kindergarten level theme and story so seriously it makes you doubt his credentials.
I actually thought this might be a fun read as I was going through a similar situation as the lead character but just found this to be insulting me on every single page. I hope Amazon don't take it as a spoiler if I tell you the ending is unbelieveably stupid. In a word: Avoid.

Phonics Comics: Clara the Klutz - Level 2 (Phonics Comics)

Average customer rating:

Comics first grades can read easily

Phonics Comics: Clara the Klutz - Level 2 (Phonics Comics)
Wendy Wax
Manufacturer: Innovative Kids
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Phonics Comics: The Fearless Four - Level 2 (Phonics Comics)
Phonics Comics: Pony Tales - Level 1 (Phonics Comics)
Phonics Comics: Cave Dave - Level 1 (Phonics Comics)
Phonics Comics: Spooky Sara - Level 3 (Phonics Comics)
Phonics Comics: The Misfits - Level 3 (Phonics Comics)

ASIN: 1584765658

Book Description

It's phonics! It's comics! It's awesome! Perfect for early adn developing readers, each paperback indlues three exciting, easy-to-read stories! Level 1 titles feature easy-to sound out words, simple sentences, strong picture clues and beginning sight words. Level 2 introduces varied consonant combinations, longer sentences and intermediate sight words. Have fun with Clara, the princess who is also the world's biggest clutz on her hilarious tales of royal mayhem.

Customer Reviews:

Comics first grades can read easily.......2007-06-18

This charming story is beautifully illustrated, entertaining, and readable! My first grader loves these books. The detailed pictures and "sound it out" words allow her to read by herself. She loves other comic books, but has only been able to look through them. Phonic Comics are reading level appropriate in content and text. The print is large enough and well organized. The story is linear and really cute. This book was a much needed "independent reading" motivator.

White Girl: A Story Of School Desegregation

Average customer rating:

Different but equal

White Girl: A Story Of School Desegregation
Clara Silverstein
Manufacturer: University of Georgia Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Historical | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

South | Regional U.S. | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Discrimination & Racism | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Through Women's Eyes: An American History with Documents
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (Dover Thrift Editions)
Introduction to Physical Anthropology, Media Edition (with Basic Genetics for Anthropology CD-ROM and InfoTrac ) (Media Edition)
"Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?": A Psychologist Explains the Development of Racial Identity

ASIN: 0820326623

Book Description

This poignant account recalls firsthand the upheaval surrounding court-ordered busing in the early 1970s to achieve school integration. Like many students at the vanguard of this great social experiment, sixth-grader Clara Silverstein was spit on, tripped, and shoved by her new schoolmates. At other times she was shunned altogether. In the conventional imagery of the civil rights era, someone in Silverstein's situation would be black. She was white, however—one of the few white students in her entire school.

"My story is usually lost in the historical accounts of busing," Silverstein writes. At the predominantly black public schools she attended in Richmond, Virginia, Silverstein dealt daily with the unintended, unforeseen consequences of busing as she also negotiated the typical passions and concerns of young adulthood--all with little direction from her elders, who seemed just as bewildered by the changes around them. When Silverstein developed a crush on a black boy, when yet another of her white schoolmates switched to a private school, when she naively came to class wearing a jacket with a Confederate flag on it, she was mostly on her own to contend with the fallout. Silverstein's father had died when she was seven. Another complication: she was Jewish. As her black schoolmates viewed her through the veil of race, Silverstein gazed back through her private grief and awareness of religious difference.

Inspired by her parents' ideals, Silverstein remained in the public schools despite the emotional stakes. "I was lost," she admits. "If I learned nothing else, I did come to understand the scourge of racism." Her achingly honest story, woven with historical details, confronts us with powerful questions about race and the use of our schools to engineer social change.

Customer Reviews:

Different but equal.......2004-09-18

WHITE GIRL: A Story of School Desegregation is a stirring and poignant
account of the upheaval surrounding court-ordered busing in the early
1970s. Like many students at the vanguard of this inevitable movement
to achieve school integration, sixth-grader Clara Silverstein faced
humiliation on a daily basis. She was spit on, tripped, and shoved by
her new schoolmates. This was a typical reaction to the majority of
the Black (the term of that era), children who were subject to this
law. But this fast-paced memoir inverts our understanding of
desegregation. Clara was white, one of the few white students in her
entire school. This is her story, a vivid description of a
controversial social experiment and an intimate chronicle of a young
girl's turbulent journey through adolescence.

Clara lived in Chicago and was very familiar with racial mixing. But
when the family relocated to Richmond, Virginia, after the death of
her father, her racial education escalated. She wonders how she
lived through several agitated situations: her first crush on a Black
classmate, naively wearing a jacket with a Confederate flag sewn on
to class, and surviving alone, when the other white classmates switched
to private schools.

Clara remained in the public schools and contends that if she learned
nothing else, she did come to understand the scourge of racism. Her
story is one that is usually lost in the historical accounts of busing,
and this fact motivated her to share her experience. Her story is woven
with in-depth historical details and several personal photographs. Some
thirty years later there are those who question the use of the school
system to create social change. This is a different view of this
racially motivated issue.

Reviewed by aNN
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

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