Book Description
If you've been looking for sound direction on how to coach top executives, here it is. In Executive Coaching with Backbone and Heart, Mary Beth O'Neill outlines the dynamic approach to coaching leaders that she's developed over the course of a twenty-year career. Her unique perspective and sage advice, backed by a specific four-phase methodology, gives you the means to successfully manage the coach-client relationship and effect dramatic changes that ensure the business outcomes leaders' want. It's a one-of-a-kind guide for executive coaches--both aspiring and established--that fills a long-standing gap in coaching literature.
To read the preface from this book, click here.
Customer Reviews:
Exceptional Coaching Resource.......2007-02-22
The combination of theory and practice lends well to readers of all levels (from graduate students to seasoned professionals). The author's systems perspective focuses on the executive as part of a greater whole within the organization and the importance of understanding the influences that are impacting his/her behaviors. O'Neill also focuses on the importance of a results orientation (a topic often lost in other coaching books). She discusses the importance of thinking like an executive so that you (as a coach) can produce at a level that executives expect - increasing the likelihood of establishing rapport, a long-term relationship and, most of all, bottom-line results.
Well Written and Enlightening.......2007-01-08
This is a well written and thorough resource which aptly combines theory with practical application of the systems theory to executive coaching as well as advice and tools to use. The book is very useful in translating the systems theory to readable and useful frameworks, pragmatic tips and case studies.
The author methodically explains the four phases of coaching process namely contracting, planning, implementation and debriefing. She explains that coaching is a complex process which involves the application of the principles and methods of psychology, leadership principles, business management and organisation development, among others, to assist the executive and the aspiring executive improve their effectiveness.
The book will assist the executive coaching practitioners, business executives and managers who need them and offers a practical guide to developing the effective communications and relationship expertise needed by business managers to run effectively their organisations in the highly competitive operating environment.
Read this book and you will have a comprehensive understanding of this emerging new field.
Excellent Aplication of Systems Theory to Executive Coaching!.......2006-02-14
I highly recommend this book to new and seasoned coaches. Not only is it enjoyable to read, but the author presents a clear description of the application of systems theory to executive coaching. There are a number of coaching books that describe coaching skills, but O'Neill's book provides a solid theoretical framework for applying these skills.
Sabrina Starling Schleicher, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Executive and Life Coach
Useful Guide with a Few Key Elements Missing.......2004-03-19
Mary Beth O'Neill is an experienced executive coach who provides a useful perspective and helpful guidelines and examples of what coaches can do to help executives. Her systems perspective and four-step approach is helpful with case examples and additional insights into how leaders can be coached to coach and how coaching can be combined with consulting to have a greater impact on the organization. There are several key elements of professional coaching that are missing in the book: First- The four-step approach does not include a thorough assessment of the executive and his/her organization using reliable historical, normative, and 360-degree data. Instead, the major focus is on asking the executive what they think they need or want to work on. Second- There is a lack of focus on involving and partnering with the executive's boss, board, key constituents, HR professionals and others to truly understand the executive and the organization from multiple perspectives and to have the potential impact on the whole system. And third- there could be greater emphasis on what happens after the coaching is completed; how to transition for continued learning, application, and improvement.
For more information about the principles and practice of executive coaching that incorporates Ms. O'Neill's useful approaches along with the additional components described above, you may want to go to the following website for the free Handbook of Executive Coaching along with other free information and tools for executives, coaches, and HR professionals: www.executivecoachingforum.com
"Real World" Coaching.......2003-01-12
Excellent resource for experienced coaches looking for insight to take their practice to a higher level. This book is also useful for those considering coaching or consulting as a permanent profession. O'Neill provides many honest examples of the inner thoughts of coaches during sessions and tools to help maintain effectiveness and composure with tough clients.
Her humble writing style fosters the belief that "I could do this!" even though the concepts are highly advanced. I found myself going back over pages and concepts as I realized I had been in similar situations before. The case studies are exciting and easy to absorb but read this book slowly to embrace the richer complexities.
Product Description
Excerpt - Back Matter:"... "You don't have to be pushy to get what you want! Civilized Assertiveness gives you the words to stand up for yourself while still being respectful of others."
Customer Reviews:
Highly recommend if your a woman and work with men.......2007-10-11
I found this book very enlightening. The author gives you practical examples that you can use in your workplace, and by just using them you engage in better communication that empowers you. It gives you an understaning of men and the techniques they have been taught from childhood to use, and how we can work with them to assert what we need.
I would highly recommend this book - and I will let it speak for itself when you buy it!
Great book.......2005-05-06
I knew I needed to set limits with other people, but I didn't have the words. This book does. It gives a few phrases that work everywhere with everyone, as well as other phrases to use with bosses vs. colleagues, or with coworkers vs. family and friends. It's not your average "self-help" book -- it's down to earth and truly useful. The author explains how women are raised to not stand up for themselves and then show how we can do it without getting the backlash we fear or expect. It's a great book.
Who needs Dr. Phil?.......2005-04-26
I wish I'd found this book years ago. The author doesn't just tell you what to say; she also tells you why it's important. What I found most helpful is that there's a major difference between being assertive and being aggressive, as well as between being civil and being passive. The ideas and skills in this book are so useful that my husband even read it and uses the skills at work and with me. This book has good ideas based on solid research that you can actually use!
A must have for all women.......2004-02-03
This is a guide for not only women in the workplace but women in their personal lives. We have been preconditioned to act and talk in specific way. This book easily guides you into making sound decisions on choices of responses to difficult situations. It is easy to follow and helps you speak what is truly on your mind without being cruel. It is all about being direct and getting what you want!!
Book Description
Animals Without Backbones has been considered a classic among biology textbooks since it was first published to great acclaim in 1938. It was the first biology textbook ever reviewed by Time and was also featured with illustrations in Life. Harvard, Stanford, the University of Chicago, and more than eighty other colleges and universities adopted it for use in courses. Since then, its clear explanations and ample illustrations have continued to introduce hundreds of thousands of students and general readers around the world to jellyfishes, corals, flatworms, squids, starfishes, spiders, grasshoppers, and the other invertebrates that make up ninety-seven percent of the animal kingdom.
This new edition has been completely rewritten and redesigned, but it retains the same clarity and careful scholarship that have earned this book its continuing readership for half a century. It is even more lavishly illustrated than earlier editions, incorporating many new drawings and photographs. Informative, concise legends that form an integral part of the text accompany the illustrations. The text has been updated to include findings from recent research. Eschewing pure morphology, the authors use each group of animals to introduce one or more biological principles.
In recent decades, courses and texts on invertebrate zoology at many universities have been available only for advanced biology majors specializing in this area. The Third Edition of Animals Without Backbones remains an ideal introduction to invertebrates for lower-level biology majors, nonmajors, students in paleontology and other related fields, junior college and advanced high school students, and the general reader who pursues the rewarding study of the natural world.
Customer Reviews:
The best book for Invertebrate Zoology.......2003-03-19
As a new teacher of Zoology, this book has become my most valuable resource for the invertebrates. The information is easy to understand and the labeled photos are wonderful. If I could chose a textbook for my students, this would definitely be it. My students have also found it to be a great resource for their studies.
A must for Biologist of all levels........2001-10-29
The beginning zoology student has a daunting task before them. There are at least thirty phyla of animals on earth, most with several unique ecologically important sub groups. The arthropods, for example, include almost a million species of terrestrial insects as well as countless aquatic animals ranging in size from the minute copepod to crabs over two meters in width. To get a grasp on all of these requires a good bit of effort, a well organized mind and no small amount of perseverance. While anybody who has tried is no doubt familiar with the several very good invertebrate zoology textbooks available this is the only book on the subject that can be appreciated by the mass market.
The book groups animals by the traditional phyla, and gives critical information on each. Characteristics, development, ecology and diversity are all included. There are many good black and white photographs and a few good line drawings. If I had one complaint about this book it would be unity. I would like to have seen each chapter organized along a set pattern. This would be no easy feat either. I would also have liked to seen more line illustrations. I did like the books treatment of the protozoans as well.
If you are a student of zoology, beginning or PhD, you should try and get your hands on this book. It will help you understand things better than anything single resource I have seen.
A great classroom resource!.......2000-08-31
I have used the book "Animals Without Backbones" for 5 years now in my Honors Zoology class here in Maryland. This text is great - it is easy to read and understand and the photos are fabulous! The only thing is that all the pictures are black and white, unlike the "fancy" new biology books. It reads at a level lower than my students, which are honors juniors and seniors. I give them additional information to supplement their studies, but I can't say enough about the photos and the labelled diagrams! A great book!
the best ever.......2000-04-02
This book is a necessity for anyone interested in the fascinating structure of spineless creatures. As an artist, I find this collection of photographs to be a priceless visual dictionary, and a sumptuous treat for the eyes. The writing is scholarly and dense, absolutely comprehensive. Also important for academes: Where drawing illustrations are necessary for clarity, they are doubled up with the photographic representation.
Book Description
In Courage, Gus Lee captures the essential component of leadership in measurable behaviors. Using actual stories from Whirlpool, Kaiser Permanente, IntegWare, WorldCom and other organizations, Lee shows how highly successful executives face and overcome their fears to develop moral intelligence. These real-world examples offer practical lessons for rooting out unethical practices and behaviors by
- Assessing them for rightness and integrity
- Addressing moral failures
- Following through with dialogue and direct action
Customer Reviews:
Courage, an Important Relational Skill.......2007-09-06
From his autobiographical novel, "China Boy", one might infer that Gus Lee has spent a lifetime learning; learning to overcome fear, and learning the worth of high values and moral principles in life. In this book, Lee applies, what can only be described as a `novelistic' writing style, to re-creative dialogue of situations where these life-long learnings are put to the leadership test. Noting that results are resources passed through relationships, (performance leadership as a relational process), Lee takes the reader through demonstrations of courageous leadership, including the use of his Courageous Communications model - Communicate collegially, Listen actively with Empathy, Ask questions on point, and Relate respectfully (CLEAR); among others.
Although not unique, the several relational models for handling difficult conversations or for addressing relational failures (`The Black Box Solutions Model' to help understand why a relationship has crashed -- 1) Assess what's broken, 2) Accept the failure, 3) Repair the failure, and 4) Team up and work together) are interesting; in addition, Lee introduces his three types of motivating power; authority, reward, and courage - ethically modeling and inspiring others to be their best selves and to act courageously for what is right. But, as I worked through the book, I kept looking for some underlying leadership framework for Lee's Courage process. In the end, I could find no such framework, and was left with a rather randomness feeling about the book and it lessons on courage. For a word such as "courage", that speaks so of the heart, I expected direction and purpose - and in the end found none in this book.
Standing Tall In the Face of Fear.......2007-06-28
Gus and Dianne-Elliot Lee share captivating stories about real people confronting important "points of decision." The kind of decisions that leaders and people from all walks of business and civilian life face in their everyday lives. The behaviors of people with strong character and some people with little character are analyzed through a lens that reveals more about courage, integrity, and character than I have ever known. Leadership is celebrated, weakness is crushed, and the slippery slope of the behavior headed to the status quo is illuminated in a way that I think that anyone can identify with.
This is a great text book for leaders. It is full of illustrations, charts, and metaphors that drive his concepts home - to heart. There are examples of how interactions of the worst sort can be corrected. Not a passive read; I could not avoid mapping my own life to the outlines and examples throughout the book.
I recommend this book to anyone who is serious about becoming their own personal best. Your spouse, staff, board, customers and friends will all appreciate what you learn through Courage!
A Grand Slam on Leadership!.......2007-03-18
COURAGE is, quite simply, the best business book I have ever read, and I simply couldn't stop once I started reading it. Though I am now neither a corporate employee nor in any direct way connected professionally to commercial enterprise, I have been in the past. But more important, I am a human being, and the lessons I learned in this book, though perhaps primarily directed to occupants of corporate board rooms, apply directly to normal day-to-day life and social interactions in the post-industrial America of the early 21st century. It gives very direct aand effective instruction on how to be a truly great leader in the business world, and it is the latest approach to a very old problem. To me, the best book on business leadership before this one was The Gamesman, by Michael Maccoby, which I read, I think, in 1979 when I was an aspiring young lawyer. In it, Maccoby spoke of the gradual evolution of leadership types in American business. From the late 19th century through World War II or so, as I remember, including the days of the "Robbber Barons" who established corporate norms for a long time, he said most successful business leaders were what he called "jungle fighters" - ruthless entrepreneurs whose workdays normally included aggressive acts to promote themselves and/or their businesses. That meant stepping on others, back-stabbing, and amorally clutching and clawing their way to the top. Then, as I recall, he described how aggression fell from favor, and I think the next type succeeding the jungle fighter at the top of business came in the 1950s, and was what he described as the "Company Man", in gray flannel suit, white shirt and tie, reliably obedient to corporate rules and standards, conservative and predictable. Safe, but not very good at change. Then Maccoby outlined his perception of the latest successful (in the late 1970s) leadership type, the "Gamesman", who typically looked at his role in the business world as a game, one that he played hard to win, but still just a game in which he very smoothly adapted to change. Typified by a confident, smiling JFK, whose perceived persona became an important model to many, the Gamesman was King. For a while. Maccoby seemed very insightful at the time, but the world has changed much. After Reagan entered the White House in 1981, the American business world went into overdrive. And as technological wonders (personal computers, cell phones, Google, etc.) arrived, authority structures in major businesses began to flatten as more and more people were able to work independently. The command economy was disappearing, and rigid, authoritative power games in the business world began to collapse dramatically. That meant that we all began to recover our basic humanity in the workplace, and respect for others began to dominate as a norm. And that's where Mr. Lee's book comes in. He talks of the continued or even incresed need for leadership in today's marketplace, but he also explains it to us, as well as the underlying principles on which it must be based. His basic theme for success calls for principled behavior under pressure, for boldness and courage to "do the right thing" as the very backbone of leadership, and for complete respect for others always. But he does all this gradually, in language that really captures the reader. Most rewarding of all, he shows in simple and believable terms that anyone who adopts the right mind set and follows his or her own well-established principles of behavior in life can be an effective -- even a great -- leader. Rather than ordering or directing, a good leader listens and interacts, allowing great freedom to subordinates in choosing their path, but requiring strict adherence to agreed-upon behavior, schedule, or production. And as he develops and describes the best behavior for business leaders under pressure, he uses the case method, describing actual events to illustrate his concepts, and he does so very effectively. I am sorry to say that I do not have Mr. Lee's smooth facility with words, and my attempt to give a favorable synopsis of what I believe to be a wonderful series of lessons ends up sounding lumpy and complicated. The book is neither. But perhaps the best way I can describe the effectiveness of Mr. Lee's work would be to tell how it applied immediately in my personal, non-business life. I won't try to describe his recommended approaches here, for though they are simple and straight-forward, he does a wonderful job of teaching them, and they are an eye-opening delight to read. But I hope my personal experince that follows will convey the powerful effect on me of this masterwork. I have a young son who is not as careful with sleep and personal cleanliness, especially washing his hair, as his mother and I would hope. The night I finished reading COURAGE, I went upstairs well after midnight and discovered that son still up and playing video games, long after his bedtime. This has been an issue in the past, and I am sorry to say that it too often resulted in my loud, raging anger, and hurt feelings ranging all the way to tears for my son, unfortunately including his physical fear of me. I always felt bad later and swore it would never happen again. But when next pushed to the edge of my patience, I am sorry to say that it sometimes did. Having just finished this book, however, I knew I no longer had to resort to my old strong-arm tactics. Rather than my nornmal raging, I went into my son's room and followed the pattern proposed in COURAGE, quietly asking hinm what he thought of a boy staying up late on a school night, etc. We had a slow, comfortable exchange of ideas, and he soon agreed that he would be better off the next day if he got right into bed. Smiles on both sides. I then brought up the benefits that might come from his taking a shower before he went to bed, but he quickly dug in his heels, and I as quickly backed off. Shower or not, I thought as I left his room, I had been able to rationally explain to him why he should go to bed, and he had very reasonably explored the idea himself, then agreed to my arguments.No anger or fear on either side -- how refreshing was that? I was quite pleased as I went back downstairs, and I was really quite surprised at how immediately effective the application of Mr. Lee's ideas had been with my son. A few minuteds later, I came back upstairs, and heard, to my surprise, the sound of the shower. I went back downstairs until I heard the shower turned off. Ten minutes later, I crept back upstairs and into my son's room, where I found him asleep, his hair smelling of fresh shampoo. What better change in behavior between father and son could have been desired? And my son and I were both happy at the resolution of the issue, not angry, hurt, frightened, or even sad. Truly, at that moment I felt the sun of human-interaction enlightenment rising inside my own head. And that interaction, I am sure, was far more sensitive than most of those one confronts in the business world. But it was resolved more happily than I ever could have anticipated, simply by my adopting and folowing the humanizing, honest, and honorable approach promoted in this wonderful book. For me, reading it and applying its lessons have brought me monments of true joy. I give it my very highest possible recommendation for all readers, whether you are in the business world or not. Read it: you'll love it!
Solid look at how to make honesty your policy.......2006-12-21
Corporate employees and managers should take a stand against unethical behavior, but that requires the courage to live, work and lead in congruence with your highest values. Author Gus Lee offers a "primer" on courage, including how it shapes decision making, how leaders can demonstrate it in their work, and how you and your employees can learn courage, and use it to support each other and to build moral businesses. To illustrate ethical behavior, Lee discusses case histories of individual courage in corporate life. His discussion is sometimes repetitious, and the vignettes are occasionally confusing, since he may refer back to examples he presented many chapters ago. Despite such flaws, these accounts offer key lessons. We believe that executives and managers can learn about principled action - and can reinforce it among their subordinates - by reading Lee's book and passing it along.
The best of the best.......2006-12-21
This is the transformational leadership book. But don't rely on me, just because I run a company. Look above this line, under "Reviews." See who endorsed Courage. This is the only book that's been endorsed by Warren Bennis and General H. Norman Schwarzkopf. General Schwarzkopf says that "when it comes to leadership, Gus Lee has walked the walk." Add to that General Fred Franks, CEOs, Board Chairs, FBI agents, professors, college presidents, corporate senior executives, non-profit leaders, faith organizations, and even Amy Tan. If you're in a company or a family, read this book.
Book Description
The Modoc Indians and American officials had been flirting with war in the Oregon Territory for some time. When Modoc chief Keintpoos murdered a Civil War hero during negotiations, the U.S. Army launched a deadly offensive against the rebel tribe. Besieged in the natural stronghold of the Lava Beds near Tule Lake, the Modocs waged bloody war for seven long months.Sergeant Seamus Donegan, on the trail of his uncle, Ian O'Rourke, arrived at Tule Lake just as the conflict erupted. Soon Donegan and the brooding O'Rourke found themselves embroiled in what would be the costliest war in frontier history....
Customer Reviews:
A very well written acount of the Modoc War.......1998-07-16
This is the first (and not last) book I've read by Johnston, and it was very good. At times it was hard to keep reading it, at times it was hard to put down. I'm very glad I read this, and I think anyone else interested in this time period should definetly pick this up. And of course read it.
Book Description
To succeed in business today, an individual must be smart, competitive, resilient, tenacious, and fearless. In short, he or she needs a good, old-fashioned backbone. In How to Grow a Backbone, Susan Marshall, a top business consultant and former executive, outlines skills that readers can develop and perfect to become stronger, more confident, and more influential on the job. Using straight talk laced with wry humor, the author draws upon actual business situations from a variety of companies and industries to show how a strong backbone can change not only the outcome of the situation, but also how one is perceived.
Customer Reviews:
Pretty effective book with a very nuts and bolts approach.......2005-09-22
Encountered it first as an audio book and then decided to buy it as a print book. The book is small in size but has an impactful message. How to be assertive and cooperative at the same time. Very useful tips on how to achieve both in the workplace. Highly recommend it for people like me who cave in on pursuing their agenda in our current corporate culture.
Wow! This author doesn't kid around..........2005-01-16
After finishing Disc 1 of 7 it's a thorough pleasure to hear a practical approach to career development. While attitude is great, sooner or later the rubber hits the road. Ms Marshall provides excellent guidance for what to do in real, modern, business situations.
Put it on your list.......2001-05-17
I found this book to be different than the typical management book. Rather than filled with the usual platitudes, it contains some real world advice on how to deal with and capitalize on situations that occur in a corporate environment. The book starts a bit slow, but it gets moving once it gets into the 10 strategies. The author has a nice conversational, straight-talking style of writing. The exercises and advice at the end of each chapter are excellent. I would recommend this book for new graduates starting in management and for seasoned veterans.
How to Grow a Backbone.......2000-10-04
This is a must read for anyone that wants to move further faster in the business world -- especially those who are fledglings in Corporate America! Marshall writes with clarity and good humor spiced with pithy observations and examples. This is more than a pie-in-the-sky, ethereal how-to book. She backs up her advice with practical, easy to implement ACTIONS to integrate the strategies into all areas of interactions with others. And her "excercises" are more than informative and effective: they're fun to boot!
Everything you can be.......2000-09-26
Marshall has written an exceptional book, a smart and practical book that reflects a very intelligent and perceptive grasp of business action and the people who are the action-eers. People run businesses and businesses are only as good as the people that run them. "How To Grow A Backbone" is at once very revealing and very familiar. We will all find ourselves somewhere in this book...for better or worse. We may smile or grimace at the unerring precision with which Marshall cuts straight to the bone, through all the usual fat, and shows us how much backbone we really have, I really have, you really have. Most important, she shows us how to grow what we're missing. Every CEO should read this book and then issue it to his staff, to everyone on the staff including the mail boy and the sweeper. If that CEO is big enough, smart enough (and secure enough) to encourage, to allow, to require, to inspire, his people to grow backbone, that boss will have one hell of a spinning business. Action, forward motion, innovation and fun the way business should be fun, going a mile a minute, breaking through. Everyone who dreams of being more than they are, or of being a CEO, should quit dreaming and dig into "Backbone". This is no "guru magic" that pumps you up for a week, this is the straight answer for anyone who has the courage to try to be what he or she can be. Miss Marshall will show you the way. "How To Grow A Backbone" is a lean, no nonsense bible for the feint of heart who want to grow the lion inside them. It's more than a business book. It's for anyone who hears their Jiminy Cricket whispering, you could have, you should have, why didn't you? Anyone who wants to know how to grow the seeds of character we all possess, who wants to be somebody, must read "How To Grow A Backbone". WARNING: Read only if you want to be better than you are.
Book Description
Boatbuilding Manual is one of the most widely read texts on the subject, and it has been used for years as a standard reference at both boatbuilding and design schools.
A builder and designer for more than 55 years, Robert Steward has rare abilities as a writer and draftsman. His phrasing is clear and easy, and he writes the absolute minimum necessary for a complete understanding of the subject.
This fourth edition, like its predecessors, emphasizes traditional wooden construction but also surveys plywood, wood-epoxy, fiberglass, steel, aluminum, and other boatbuilding methods. The chapters on interpreting plans, lofting, and moldmaking are common to all methods. New to this edition are several chapters arising from the "Miscellaneous Details" chapter of earlier editions; an appendix on sharpening tools; expanded tables of metric equivalents; an expanded and annotated source guide for plans, fasteners, hardware, wood, and other staples of boatbuilding; and a list of additional reading.
Praise for Boatbuilding Manual:
". . . the best building manual for wooden boats there is--clear, concise but inclusive, and written so the inexperienced boatbuilder can read it."--John Gardner, Mystic Seaport Museum
"I first got acquainted with the Boatbuilding Manual in the early 1970s when Murray Peterson, the yacht designer, gave me a copy saying, 'Read this. It's the best book on small-boat building I've ever seen.' I had to agree and it's still true. Steward's book is in a class of its own. It's the book I always recommend for boatbuilding classes, and we've used it to fine advantage at the local high school."--Sonny Hodgdon, Hodgdon Yachts, Inc., East Boothbay, Maine
This is a book at home in the workshop, not the library. Pulled from beneath a pile of shavings, it is the thing to help make a tough decision or to quiet an unwelcome adviser."--SAIL
Customer Reviews:
A one-book manual on how to build a boat........2005-05-08
This is a beautifully illustrated book, easy to read, and simple to understand. It is really all you need to build your own wooden book. It is inspirational and important at the same time. This would make a wonderful textbook for those whom wish to study the craft in a more rigorous academic environment. While it is a great book, I found some other books better as far as being more complete and up to date. I rated this book a four star rating for this, and only this, reason. I recommend it, and suggest that it would make a great addition to any library of book construction techniques.
A mandatory book for the would-be wooden boatbuilder.......2001-02-04
This book is (or should be) truly mandatory for anyone constructing a boat or rebuilding a boat (sail or power) made of wood. It is an invaluable reference, and has a wealth of information and tips for the most experienced boatbuilder. Most importantly however, is that it paints a remarkably accuate portrait of what is involved in working with the media of wood and water. It will either encourage the motivated amateur, or discourage him or her with its no-nonsense explanation of the nature of such an undertaking.
In short, it makes life easier for *anyone* who works with wooden boats, sail or power.
Classic Text.......2000-07-14
I'm actually building a boat and will tell you that this book is a good overview on the topic, but when it comes to finding specifics for a particular project it will usually fall short. I have had much better luck with a specific research topic referring to the likes of Fred Bingham, Howard Chappelle, Bud Mcintosh, and Larry Pardey. Having said that, your library is not complete without this classic. It is another valued tool in the toolbox
Comprehensive text on boatbuilding.......1998-08-23
The Boatbuilding Manual is essentially a text book, in all sense of the word, of boatbuilding. It's a great introduction to boatbuilding for beginners and amateurs. If you're looking for a quick, purely instructional guide to building a seacraft, this might not be your cup of tea. But if you are looking for an in-depth, well-researched and well-presented book building a boat, then you have the right book.
Wonderful Introductory Text.......1998-04-23
This book is a wonderful introduction and reference work on the art of boatbuilding. Although I would love to see Mr. Steward do an online version of the book so that the techniques and materials would remain up-to-date, his methods and materials are time-tested and proven to work as is. There is no better work for beginners.
Book Description
Research and development on optical wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) networks have matured considerably. While optics and electronics should be used appropriately for transmission and switching hardware, note that "intelligence'' in any network comes from "software,'' for network control, management, signaling, traffic engineering, network planning, etc.The role of software in creating powerful network architectures for optical WDM networks is emphasized.
Optical WDM Networks is a textbook for graduate level courses. Its focus is on the networking aspects of optical networking, but it also includes coverage of physical layers in optical networks. The author introduces WDM and its enabling technologies and discusses WDM local, access, metro, and long-haul network architectures. Each chapter is self-contained, has problems at the end of each chapter, and the material is organized for self study as well as classroom use. The material is the most recent and timely in capturing the state-of-the-art in the fast-moving field of optical WDM networking.
Book Description
Whenever sailors are confronted with "unsolvable" problems-be it a fouled anchor or paint that won't dry-they often throw up their hands and exclaim, "We'd better ask the Chief." That refrain, heard for generations throughout the Navy, is the theme for Jack Leahy's newest book. Written at sea, his book provides a compelling picture of the Chief Petty Officer's community in the U.S. Navy. As a guest of the Chief Petty Officer's mess aboard USS George Washington during Operation Enduring Freedom, Leahy was granted complete and unfettered access to all areas of the massive carrier and the other ships in her battle group. He interviewed nearly one hundred Navy Chiefs from the aviation, surface, submarine, and special warfare communities and recounts their stories of daily life at sea. In doing so, he presents the true backbone of the modern Navy: the wisdom, character, and dignity of the Chief Petty Officer's community. This book of contemporaneous oral history follows the format that proved so successful with Leahy's earlier book on Navy boot camp. Color photographs help bring the story to life. 240 pages. 30 photographs. 10 line drawings. Hardcover. 6 x 9 inches.
Customer Reviews:
Officers run the Navy, but Chiefs make the Navy run........2007-04-09
"Ask The Chief: Backbone of the Navy" is a book by J. F. Leahy that tries to answer the question, "What is a Chief Petty Officer?" Instead of trying to answer the question himself, the author wisely lets the Chiefs speak for themselves. In 14 chapters, Leahy gives us an overview of the Chief Petty Officer continuum, from the newest initiates to the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, the Navy's senior enlisted advisor who reports directly to the Chief of Naval Operations.
Mr. Leahy spent time aboard the Aircraft Carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) and the Guided missile Cruiser USS Normandy (CG-60), and interacted closely with the Chief's Mess on both ships. He works from first principles (Leadership, Development, Communication & Support) and proceeds through the real meat-and-potatoes of just what it is Chiefs do in the Navy each day. I've learned a lot from this book, and would unhesitatingly recommend it for anyone who aspires to "Be the Chief".
Chiefs are really the backbone of the navy.......2007-01-22
I retired as a senior chief with 27 years in the U.S. Navy in 1987. This book hits the nail on the head. Chiefs have always made things happen and run the daily operations with great success. It is true that officers who suceed in their careers will tell you of "the chief" who took them under their wing and put them on the right track. If you are lucky enough to know one, ask the chief.
Customer Reviews:
Best book on the Trace .......2006-09-01
The best book on the Natchez Trace, where Meriwether Lewis died, is The Devil's Backbone by Jonathan Daniels (1962). Very evocative details and a good map too. It's difficult to imagine traveling under such difficult circumstances as faced by people in early America. The Trace was considered an improved road; tree stumps in the road were required to be cut off shorter than 16 inches. As well as being rough traveling, the Old Trace was a dark, heavily forested, and creepy place. Some years later, Audubon made special note of the vultures that flew low to the ground in this area, looking for food. There were human vultures as well.
One entire chapter of The Devil's Backbone is devoted to Lewis's death.
Several myths included as "fact" in this book.......2001-09-19
Be careful - though this is an entertaining read, several historical anecdotes in this book are based on folklore rather than actual documented facts. I would recommend "A Way Through the Wilderness" by William C. Davis for a factually accurate history of the Trace instead of this book, which at times reads like a dime novel.
Natchez Trace History.......2000-01-13
For anyone who likes Southern history, particulary history of the Natchez Trace, this book is a must. The book is full of information about the use and /or settling of the land around the Natchez Trace. The book, however, is often hard to follow since it contains so much information and various names of settlers and infamous historical figures that used the Trace. Once you begin to read it, you become mesmerized and will find it hard to put down.
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