Amazon.com
In Dinner With a Perfect Stranger, David Gregory relates the story of two men sharing a meal. The point of interest is knowing that one man believes he is Jesus. What will the other man think by the time the evening is through? The conversation begins, as one could imagine, scratching the dry hard surface of skepticism and doubt, but gently and persistently goes deeper and deeper, spiraling in from that starting point until they are eventually talking about the true stuff of life; the career drifting off-track, the marriage experiencing its own kind of strain, the life being lived where the philosophical questions of youth have given way to simply coping with modern day-to-day living.
Gregory's book is a refreshing reminder of what evangelical Christianity is at its very best -- a faith enlivened by the personal relationship between the Creator and the created. In the end, evangelical Christians are focused on who Jesus Christ is, and more specifically, who He is to them. Doctrinal stances, theological conundrums, questions about literal or non-literal Biblical interpretation, these are all beside the point for the certain type of Christian whose central focus is the life and person of Jesus.
In the Narnia series, C.S. Lewis touched on some of the core questions of religion, from the Christian viewpoint (is there a hell? What is heaven like, really? How can other religions be wrong, and just one be right?) Taking his cue from Lewis, Gregory does the same, realizing that questions like these come alive when they're in the context of a story, and we can be the third party, watching with interest while they are put on the table and considered. In the end, Gregory's book succeeds because of his willingness to approach interesting, hard questions like these. He is always, undoubtedly, aiming for the heart, but he realizes that to win the heart one must never forget that the mind has to come along for the ride. --Ed Dobeas
Book Description
You are Invited to a Dinner with Jesus of Nazareth
The mysterious envelope arrives on Nick Cominsky’s desk amid a stack of credit card applications and business-related junk mail. Although his seventy-hour workweek has already eaten into his limited family time, Nick can’t pass up the opportunity to see what kind of plot his colleagues have hatched.
The normally confident, cynical Nick soon finds himself thrown off-balance, drawn into an intriguing conversation with a baffling man who appears to be more than comfortable discussing everything from world religions to the existence of heaven and hell. And this man who calls himself Jesus also seems to know a disturbing amount about Nick’s personal life.
…………..
"You’re bored, Nick. You were made for more than this. You’re worried about God stealing your fun, but you’ve got it backwards.… There’s no adventure like being joined to the Creator of the universe." He leaned back off the table. "And your first mission would be to let him guide you out of the mess you’re in at work."
………….
As the evening progresses, their conversation touches on life, God, meaning, pain, faith, and doubt–and it seems that having Dinner with a Perfect Stranger may change Nick’s life forever.
Customer Reviews:
Dinner with a Perfect Stranger.......2007-10-12
A beautifully written narrative that has solid apologetics yet captures the imagination and the heart.
A Perfect Book.......2007-09-17
I received this book as a gift and enjoyed it so much that I bought it to give to my daughter-in-law. What would it be like to have dinner with Jesus? This book answers that question in a way that includes humor and an inside look at witnessing as Jesus might do it if he invited an unbeliever struggling with life's problems to dinner. A thought-provoking book beautifully written.
A wonderful book.........2007-09-07
An excellent book. Perfect for the whole family to listen to. It is funny at times and then brings the right amount of drama at the right time. It makes you think things through and to a higher level.
kateinkalifornia.......2007-08-29
A quick read, I actually read it twice. I will keep it and lend it out, but I want it back. It's one for my permanent collection.
Reads like a religious brochure.......2007-08-24
My mom gave me this book to read as, one would guess, a last minute ditch effort to get me back into religion. Flipping through the book and seeing that it was only around 100 pages, and was printed in nice big "kid's book" letters, I figured, hey, what's a couple hours? I'm certainly willing to hear other viewpoints, and weigh them accordingly.
My first complaint is that if this is how religious people think that non-religious people think, feel, and act, then they are sorely mistaken. It's as if everyone that isn't Christian is empty, sad, and just sort of generally depressed. I guess using logic and consistency in your life makes you depressed? I guess not accepting whim-based rules about how to live life because "this book said so" and instead working rigorously to come up with a consistent set of morals and values makes you feel empty?
Anyways, the author attempts to make logical proofs, and in doing so, shows that he has no clue what a logical proof is. His undeniable, irrefutable proof that god exists is that an earlier part of the bible predicts a later part of the bible. Seriously. Nevermind that the later part of the bible was written a couple centuries after the fact, and by monks who were fully aware of the prophecies in Daniel, etc.
He also makes the claim that either Buddhism, or Hinduism, (i forget which, and i don't have the book in front of me) can't be true because it says that the universe is eternal. "How does that stack up against what your scientists have recently discovered?" alluding to the idea that we now *think* that the universe had a starting point. Regardless of the fact that we don't KNOW that it had a starting point, using science to dethrone one religion after another but not applying it to your own is a methodology only useful to those completely wrapped up in their own beliefs. One wishes the guy having dinner with Jesus would have responded with "well... that's funny... what does our science say about the idea of consciousness without matter? Or simultaneously being all-knowing and all-powerful? Or energy without any means to measure it? I guess that means your dad doesn't exist... which in turn means you don't exist, because you're one with your dad or whatever... so I guess I'm talking to myself... which would explain why the waiter has been looking at me strangely all night."
There was also a fantastic bit at the end about how if Jesus was in this guy's heart, he (Jesus) could love the guy's wife when he (the guy) couldn't anymore. Or something to that effect. I'd talk more about that, but I don't want to misquote it and have someone negate the whole review based on it, so I'll let it go.
I could go on for pages about the rediculous assumptions this book makes about how life should be lived, and the causes of evil in the world, etc. But I won't. Suffice it to say that this book is patently ridiculous, and actually rather offensive to truly free-thinking, open and honest people.
Then again, the author believes in a god that said "Thou Shall Not Kill" and then went on to murder millions and millions of people, as well as an entire planet's worth of animals that are completely amoral. So I guess anything goes, and he's as capable as anyone else to cherry-pick the parts that he does and doesn't support out of the bible.
Book Description
The Founder of JetBlue. The CEO of Dell Computers. The CEO ofDeloitte Touche. The Dean of the Harvard Business School. They all haveone thing in common. They are devout Mormons who spend their Sundaysexclusively with their families, never work long hours, and always puttheir spouses and children first. How do they do it? Now, criticallyacclaimed author and investigative journalist Jeff Benedict (a Mormonhimself) examines these highly successful business execs and discovers howtheir beliefs have influenced them, and enabled them to achieve incrediblesuccess. With original interviews and unparalleled access, Benedict shareswhat truly drives these individuals, and the invaluable life lessons fromwhich anyone can benefit.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting but incomplete..........2007-10-14
Great stories and insight on how LDS values can benefit a career as a businessman, but there should have been some discussion on LDS businessmen who haven't been such a great example of the christian way, especially those who have taken advantage of their fellow church-members. There are many to chose from, but Wade Cook and Elliot Fitzgerald would be a good place to start. Or maybe these men should be sent complimentary copies of the book as they serve out their prison sentences.
This book is not propaganda for the Mormon faith.......2007-08-24
I like the book; it is not a book of propaganda for the Mormon church. It talks about how some sucessful Mormon businessmen and CEO operate in accordance with the values taught by their faith. It is a useful addition to management literature. The book does not go into management theories and successful business models. It does not give you much empirical data based on surveys or business ratios. The focus of the book is on the moral values that make a difference in the lives of these individuals who make contributions to the company they work for, care for the employees, and have their self identity rooted in things (such as family, a desire to serve) other than wealth, fame, and status.
Yes, it make a lot of refernces to the Mormon faith. The author says it as he sees it. This book is good addition to the study of business ethics.
Helps to Realign Priorities .......2007-08-10
This is one of the better business books I have every read. It is a light read, and goes quickly. As I read the book, I considered my relationship with my own family. My 3 year old son kept approaching me on Saturday afternoon wanting to "color" with him. Rather than blowing him off and saying "I'm too busy," I put my book down and shared 10 minutes with him doing something HE felt was important. The greatest message is that the only titles that matter in this life are "Husband" and "Father." Everything else is irrelevant.
Knowing one of the principle subjects of the book, I appreciate the power of the strong women in the lives of these successful businessmen. To be successful at home and in life, a strong marriage & united partnership is key. As the Book of Matthew states, "By their fruits ye shall know them." You can plainly see that with these great families profiled.
A perfect read and excellent book to go by.......2007-07-03
Mormon or not the things that you learn from this book are wonderful. It is an easy read and very applicable skills and traits that anyone can use in their every day life.
The Mormon Way of Doing Business.......2007-05-13
I am a communication instructor at two New Jersey intitutions and found the book inspiring and helpful in gearing lectures to driven students looking to get ahead and network successfully. Great read!
Average customer rating:
- The INDISPENSIBLE history of building a business from one store with zero sales to a $100 BILLION company.
- Home Depot provides a horrible experience
- I'm rich. I started a company. I wrote a book.
- Full of Lies
- A great story...
|
Built from Scratch: How a Couple of Regular Guys Grew The Home Depot from Nothing to $30 Billion
Bernie Marcus ,
Arthur Blank , and
Bob Andelman
Manufacturer: Crown Business
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ASIN: 0812930584
Release Date: 1999-04-27 |
Amazon.com
Built from Scratch is about two businessmen who achieve the American Dream by fundamentally changing the realm of home-improvement retailing. Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank, cofounders of the Home Depot, explain how they established the first national chain in the industry by concentrating on low prices, customer service, and strong leadership values.
Ultimately, this is a book about grit and determination. "Building the Home Depot was a tough, uphill battle from the day we started," they write. "No one believed we could do it and very few people trusted our judgment." The two cofounders launched the company only after they were fired by a California hardware retailer because of politics. The Home Depot lost $1 million in its first year of operation in Atlanta. Today it's one of the great successes on Wall Street, with more than 700 stores across the country and 160,000 employees.
One reason the book is so engaging is that it includes corporate anecdotes. A favorite: the company banned wild parties after several employees were demoted and a couple were fired in the wake of a drunken annual managers' meeting. Another yarn involves Sears, which made one of the worst financial mistakes in retailing history when it passed on a deal to purchase Home Depot in the early 1980s. The authors are self-serving at times; for example, they whine too much about paying $104.5 million to dispose of a sex-discrimination lawsuit. But there's no denying the smashing performance of Big Orange. Marcus and Blank paint a story with some sparkling advice for practically anyone in business. --Dan Ring
Book Description
One of the greatest entrepreneurial success stories of the past twenty years
When a friend told Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank that "you've just been hit in the ass by a golden horseshoe," they thought he was crazy. After all, both had just been fired. What the friend, Ken Langone, meant was that they now had the opportunity to create the kind of wide-open warehouse store that would help spark a consumer revolution through low prices, excellent customer service, and wide availability of products.
Built from Scratch is the story of how two incredibly determined and creative people--and their associates--built a business from nothing to 761 stores and $30 billion in sales in a mere twenty years.
Built from Scratch tells many colorful stories associated with The Home Depot's founding and meteoric rise; shows that a company can be a tough, growth-oriented competitor and still maintain a high sense of responsibility to the community; and provides great lessons useful to people in any business, from start-ups to the Fortune 500.
Great Stories
"Ming the Merciless": The inside account of the man who fired Arthur Blank and Bernie Marcus
"My people don't drive Cadillacs!" How Ross Perot almost got involved with The Home Depot
"Take this job and shove it!" The banker who put his career on the line to get The Home Depot the loan that enabled it to survive
"Folks, I tell ya, if these Atlanta stores were any bigger, we'd be paying Alabama sales tax." Home Depot's first good ol' southern advertising campaign
A Company with a Conscience
When disasters like the Oklahoma City bombing or Hurricane Andrew happen, Home Depot associates don't ask for permission to respond. They react from their hearts--whether that means keeping their store open all night or being on the scene with volunteers and relief supplies.
The Home Depot doesn't just contribute money to organizations like Habitat for Humanity and Christmas in April, but also provides its people to help lead and grow these community efforts.
Great Lessons
Know your customer: In The Home Depot's case, customers don't pay for wider aisles and a pretty store, but for a wide assortment and low prices
Why everyday low prices mean more sales overall: The marketing philosophy The Home Depot learned from talking with Sam Walton
Market leadership: Why The Home Depot never goes to a major new market with plans to open just a few stores
The strategy for profitable growth: How The Home Depot redefined its U.S. market from its $135 billion traditional "do-it-yourself" base to a much larger pond of $365 billion
How to change the rules of the game: How The Home Depot bypassed almost all middlemen, allowing it to pass on huge savings to customers
Built from Scratch is the firsthand account of how two regular guys created one of the greatest entrepreneurial successes of the last twenty years.
Opening the First Store
"What the hell happened? Who screwed up the store? . . . Whatever time remained before the doors were scheduled to open for the first time, we sped around in forklifts, stomping on the brakes, scuffing up the flooring so it would once more look like a warehouse."
Customer Service
"If ever I saw an associate point a customer toward what they needed three aisles over, I would threaten to bite their finger. I would say, 'Don't ever let me see you point. You take the customer by the hand, and you bring them right where they need to be and you help them.'"
Giving Back
"When The Home Depot went public we realized that we had the financial capacity and wherewithal to give back to the communities where we did business. There is a concept in Judaism called tzedaka, which means 'to give back.' It is considered a mitzvah, a good deed, to give to someone who doesn't have, and we believe strongly in giving back to the community."
Selling the Vision
"We had to be psychologists, lovers, romancers, and con artists to get vendors aboard. Our ability to paint a picture of how that would take place--lowest prices, widest selection, and great customer service--was what convinced skeptical manufacturers to sell merchandise to us during the early years."
The Importance of Values
"I have never had anybody work for me in retailing who didn't work for me out of love, as opposed to fear. We carried this approach into building The Home Depot. We care about each other and we care about the customer. The things that we do for customers inside and outside the stores demonstrate our commitment to them. And then when something happens within the company, we circle the wagons. We help each other."
Customer Reviews:
The INDISPENSIBLE history of building a business from one store with zero sales to a $100 BILLION company. .......2007-01-18
It never ceases to amaze me in what it takes to satisfy a reader. When I read a book like this, I am basically asking myself several questions. How on earth did these guys do it? How did they come through the funnel and get it done. What was at stake? What were the major premises of the concept? Could it have failed, if so how? How close did it come to failing? Could some one else have done this, or replicated it, or perhaps have done it better.
A lot of life is pure fantasy. You have your own template of how things works, and you look at the world and you see that template everywhere. If you go out and try to apply this system and superimpose it onto the real world, it either fails or it succeeds. Sometimes the template is a good one, but the execution gets screwed up.
When I look at Home Depot, a story that I have an intimacy with, I found this particular book to be fabulous. There is nothing boring about it; in fact I found every page worthwhile. Having spent 35 years in Wall Street running money, and figuring out how does a company make a buck, I found this book even more worthwhile. If you are involved in the investment business, this becomes a particularly worthwhile read.
If you run a company or have aspirations towards a career in management, you better read this book, because there is something in it for everyone. For most of us, there is more than one thing in it. Peter Drucker the ultimate management mind of the 20th century probably said it best when he talked about the corporation as a living, breathing organism that required nourishment on a daily basis. You just can't assume that corporations will continue to exist simply because they exist now.
Every day a company fights for its corporate life, for its right to continue to exist. Those corporate entities that assume that they will always be around - NEVER LAST. Other entities out there either eat them up, or they suffer the slow final death of arrogance, and go out of business without even knowing why they went out.
Home Depot is the story of two guys that got up in the morning every morning, fighting for the right to keep doing it a better way. They lived by the credo that you have to keep moving or they will throw dirt on you. Some of the lessons and ideas you will learn from this book include the following:
· CUSTOMER SERVICE - You have to take care of good people, and constantly be on the lookout for them. If necessary hire them, even when you don't have the jobs for them because you may not get a second shot at them.
· DOING THE RIGHT THING ALL THE TIME - It can cost you money doing the right thing, but it comes back in spades. Something else happens when you do the right thing. People realize your efforts, and some will take advantage of you, but that will be more than offset by the multitude of others who will become loyal customers for life.
· NOBODY LOVES A COMPANY- They may love what you do, and what you do for them as customers, but there is no real loyalty to companies, at least in this generation. Home Depot always tried to make as many of their employees stockholders as possible, so that they could align the employee (associates at HD) goals with the corporate goals.
· THIS IS A TOUGH PLACE TO WORK IF YOU ARE INFLEXIBLE - This lesson was lost on the current Chairman, CEO Nardelli who was fired by the Board for his IMPERIAL management style. He also possessed no understanding of the Home Depot culture as he tried to superimpose his General Electric template on the company. He failed miserably but that's another book.
· IF YOU CAN SAVE THE CUSTOMER MONEY, DO IT - Always do the right thing by the customer, and you will have a customer for life. Go the extra mile for the customer. CULTIVATE the customer.
· THE FOUNDERS WERE LIVING ON THE FUMES OF DREAMS - I loved these stories. These guys Marcus and Blank were honest about what they faced, and several times this company was touching or facing bankruptcy. This is an important lesson. The way around it is to have twice as much capital as you think you need. This by itself was worth reading the entire book. This is priceless knowledge.
· IT'S ABOUT PRICE, SELECTION, AND CUSTOMER SERVICE - Never lose sight of this statement and act on it in your own business goals. Give people the best price you can, and the finest selection of merchandise. If you back it up with the industry's best customer service you have found for yourself a business model for success. It may sound simple, but try executing on it.
So let me let you in on a secret. I spent years with Bear Stearns well over 20 years ago as a limited partner. When I read the early financial stories of Home Depot on Wall Street, I knew that what the founders in this book were saying was the complete unvarnished truth.
The story of how Ross Perot, one of America's wealthiest men in the early 1980's blew having dominant control of this company is now the stuff of myths. Nevertheless it's a true story. The founders ultimately turned down Ross Perot as a shareholder. They believe Perot to be a control freak. Yes, Perot didn't want the founders driving around in a Cadillac. Perot was a Chevy man. Well, the Chevy man blew a $60 billion dollar fortune by not investing a couple of million in Home Depot.
Then there's Ken Langone, the financial guy behind this phenomenal story. Langone may be the only guy in America to be the IPO maven behind two all time American success stories. He successfully brought public both Ross Perot's EDS, and the Home Depot. Who else can say that? He also made a billion dollars in the process. Langone is a unique, fabulous, walk to the well with you kind of guy. Among Wall Street types, he is unique, and the Street needs many more like him.
There is a story in the book where Langone is involved in a stock sale to a very nasty executive who is very prominent in his own right. Every time the executive refuses to give in to Langone's price, Langone just keeps upping the ante on him. This goes on for pages. It is uproariously funny, and is deserving of retelling over and over again. You will love this book, and learn an enormous amount about business in the process. It should probably be required reading for all MBA programs in management.
If you have any desire to understand what it takes to dedicate your entire life to building something, especially in the business world than this book is a read for you. There's one more thing that I must get across that is compelling. Having spent my life involved with companies like Home Depot, and high-powered successful people, I have come to the conclusion that it does not have to work out successfully.
There is no such thing as one must succeed, or it was ordained that this must happen. As an example Home Depot could have gone out of business a half dozen times before becoming so financially solvent that the business model had to work.
Steve Jobs at Apple could have decided 20 years ago, to license that Apple operating system to the PC industry, and Gates and Microsoft would never have happened. GM could have decided to build quality cars 25 years ago, instead of building [...]for decades while the Japanese took the market away.
Al Gore could have concentrated just a little bit more on Florida in 2000, and George W. Bush would have never been. John Kerry could have fought off the challenge of the Swift Boat accusations, and Ohio would have gone his way, and with it the election.
In the end, it's really a question of who comes through the funnel, and that is not always predictable. As I read this wonderful book, I came to the conclusion once again, that yes, you have to go for it, and dedicate all to getting there, but there is no certitude that you are going to make it. Just make sure you follow YOUR PASSION, because no matter where you wind up, a PASSION FILLED LIFE is a life WORTH LIVING. Good luck.
Richard Stoyeck
Home Depot provides a horrible experience.......2006-12-29
If you like wandering around with no service, ringing yourself out at the register, and watching a bunch of orange outfits ignore you, try Home Depot. The bigger the company gets, the more horrible the experience. Try True Hardware.
I'm rich. I started a company. I wrote a book........2004-08-24
What a laugh. Yes you!!! The average American with your wealthy silent investor in your pocket. You too can open a store.
Home Depot has spent a good deal of money trying to improve its image; including writing these books. HD has serious problems with women suing them.If you tell the customer that you are serving them well, and beat them over the head that they are receiving top notch lip service, then eventually some will believe it.
HD has spent millions improving their stores by widening ailses and better lighting. They claim to be industry leaders yet can't seem to shake Lowes from opening stores all around HD stores and even in HD's home Atlanta market.
They are very aggressive and drive their employees to bring shareholder value. They do offer products for less and have had great financial backing.
They also control costs by "Rifting" which means they fire people that start earning enough money that it becomes cheaper to train someone else.
Its one thing to write a book to laud yourself. Why not write about all the dirty tricks you pulled to get there.
Full of Lies.......2003-10-03
Let's face facts: home depot is known for abysmal service and really, really shoddy haphazard installations. They probably spend more on defending lawsuits than on store development. This book makes them look like such wizards, such brilliant and benevelont businessmen, when in fact they have done studies to see what the minimum level of customer service they can get away with is - and then tried to stretch that envelope.
I am sure Ken Lay could write books full of accolades to Enron. It would be just as true, and just as much a waste of time and money to read.
A great story..........2003-09-07
and very well told, which really makes this book a fast read (I had a hard time putting it down).
Provides, IMO, valuable information that will be useful for any business owner. I am glad these guys took the time to share their story, and I hope I get to meet them one day.
What a great way to spend a rainy weekend. You'll love it as it reads like a novel. And you'll never look at Home Depot the same way.
Book Description
From the Impresario of NBC’s hit show The Apprentice
TRUMP ON TRUMP: “I like thinking big. I always have. To me it’s very simple: if you’re going to be thinking anyway, you might as well think big.”
And here’s how he does it: the art of the deal.
Beginning with a week in Trump’s high-stakes life, Trump: The Art of the Deal gives us Trump in action. We see just how he operates day to day—how he runs his business and how he runs his life—as he chats with friends and family, clashes with enemies, efficiently buys up Atlantic City’s top casinos, changes the face of the New York City skyline . . . and plans the tallest building in the world.
TRUMP ON TRUMP: “I play it very loose. I don’t carry a briefcase. I try not to schedule too many meetings. I leave my door open. . . . I prefer to come to work each day and just see what develops.”
Even a maverick plays by rules, and here Trump formulates his own eleven guidelines for success. He isolates the common elements in his greatest deals; he shatters myths (“You don’t necessarily need the best location. What you need is the best deal”); he names names, spells out the zeros, and fully reveals the deal-maker’s art: from the abandoned property that became the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center to the seedy hotel that became the Grand Hyatt; from the race to rebuild Central Park’s Wollman Skating Rink to the byzantine saga of the property that became Trump Tower. And throughout, Trump talks—really talks—about how he does it.
TRUMP ON TRUMP: “I always go into a deal anticipating the worst. If you plan for the worst—if you can live with the worst—the good will always take care of itself.”
Donald Trump is blunt, brash, surprisingly old-fashioned in spots—and always, always an original. Trump: The Art of the Deal is an unguarded look at the mind of a brilliant entrepreneur and an unprecedented education in the art of the deal. It’s the most streetwise business book there is—and a sizzling read for anyone interested in money and success.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
[2 stars out of four, or three out of five] Trump, trumps himself and fails sports 101 in the process.......2007-09-27
Unless your a fan of this braggard, who's gone
bankrupt more times than O.J., the N.Y. and N.J
markets are gonna be oblique to most. But the sports
parts are not that good. Yes, I was glad to see the
USFL challenge the overrated NFL and yes, I was glad
to have trumps high priced lawyers stick it to the
Corporate Fascist Alvin H. Rosencranz (who euphanis-
tically called himself 'Pete' Rozelle. But Trump
makes so many wrong statements in here that one has
to wonder if there was an illiterate ghost-writer
afoot. No, the American Football League did NOT
start in 1962, it was 1960-69. No the 1970's old
World Football League didn't start in 1973, it was
1974-75. He also lied about Don Shula, Miami's
legendary Coach about to come Coach the USFL's
New Jersey team. Trump claims Shula nixed the deal
because he wanted an apartment in Trump's building
- Free! He claims Larry Csonka's idea to merge the
CFL (is something like that were posible) was a
bad idea caliming that the CFL had a bunch of nobody
players - totally untrue! They still to this day have
many great players. NFL QBs like Trent Green, Jeff
Garcia and others have CFL experience. Trump's sign-
ing of Doug Flutie was a highlight to be sure. It was
the third straight Heisman winner the USFL beat out
the NFL from getting in their league although they
all went there later. Get Flutie's book entitled
Flutie for the real story. It took Flutie until 1988
to get all his money owed him. Trump's main loss in
a USFL sense was bribing the other USFL owners to
going to the fall. Yes, this artsie-fartsie dealer
is slick. But is always comes back around and now
he is on the Apprentice. And dumb commercials.R.I.P.
I just really enjoyed it.......2007-09-10
So this book is not a plain "how to" book. That's fine. If you have just enough skill, you'll find that this is not only great story telling about how he put all these deals together that made him millions upon millions, but also how he did it. He throws bits of his psychology around through out the book, those are easy to catch, and if you look just a little deeper you'll see all the other points that helped make him so rich, things like: persuasion, hard work, calculated risk, being involved in your business, don't leave things to chance, work with the best, don't be afraid of something you don't know, find ways to make things work for you, etc. I could go on and on.
Don't expect this to be your "how to make deals manual" but if you are the right person, you just might get more pointers than you expect. Like I said in the title, I just really enjoyed this book, regardless of what it is not.
Oldie but a Goodie.......2007-09-03
This book may be 20 years old, but the practices explained are as timely today as they were then. The basics rarely change, whether you are dealing in real estate or producing a product. The chapters are concise, solid stories on how deals were put together, obsticles overcome and politics played. Mr. Trump's style is an easy read and explains the game that he loves and makes no apologies for; making money. I found it a fascinating book.
Ahhh The Donald............2007-07-25
Dont expect to get much advice on how to negociate a deal.. even though the book is titled "The art of the deal" The book is more so about Trump, his life and his business dealings. Its still pretty good reading none the less. 4 Stars.
I'm not a big fan of Trump.......2007-07-01
But I have to be honest; I thought the book was great. Mostly, I'm not a big fan because I find him to be vein, pompous, arrogant, and a blatant self-promoter. You have to give it to him though, this is what works for him, and this is what has made Donald Trump a household name. I think he'd be successful regardless, but like most successful developers he wouldn't be a celebrity (how many millionaire developers do you know?). The beautiful thing about it is he's pretty honest about his strategy in the book. This book was written 20 years ago, and even then he was the same guy. He understands the power of promotion, even if it's self-promotion.
There are several things I loved about the book. First, his blatant honesty about himself, the reason why he does the things he does, and his opinions on his rivals. He comes clean about his strategy for calling everything he does the best, greatest, or biggest "in the world". He knows it may or may not be true, but he's just after the effect of those powerful words, and not whether or not they can be contested.
Second, I enjoyed the journey of traveling through his mind, as he contemplates the pros and cons, and finally the reason for moving forward with or declining the deals described in his book.
Lastly, I really felt like you get a better understanding of what his day-to-day is like. Even thought this is 20 years ago, his routine is probably about the same, doing a thousand things at once. All of which must meet his standard for tremendous scale and proportion.
Trump has a strategy, and his arrogance is part of it. He has reached his many goals and for him, life is really about these challenges, and the fun of surpassing them and getting to the finish line. This hobby of his has amounted to a tremendous personal fortune. But in the end, it's clear that it's not so much about the money, as it is about winning. You can take away some pretty valuable lessons from this book.
So regardless of how you feel about the guy, the book is worth checking out. It's no masterpiece (thus my 4 stars), but it is entertaining, insightful, somewhat motivating and instructive, and a very easy read. Definitely recommend.
Book Description
In the tradition of Alfred Sloan's MY YEARS WITH GENERAL MOTORS and Thomas J. Watson, Jr.'s, FATHER, SON, AND CO., this is the story of America's most innovative developer and luxury retailing pioneer Malcolm Gladwell has called him one of the unrecognized giants of modern retailing, but he is more widely known as the billionaire who went to jail for his role in a price fixing scandal. Clearly Al Taubman has had an extraordinary life. A dyslexic Jewish kid who grew up in Depression–era Detroit, Taubman made several fortunes in businesses as varied as architecture, land speculation, mall development, luxury housing, chain restaurants, and, of course, the fine art auction business. THRESHOLD RESISTANCE reveals the theme that has run through each of these endeavors. In this memoir, Taubman explains his distinctive point of view about what makes shoppers buy and how the needs and habits of individuals shape the retail environment.
Customer Reviews:
An American Treasure.......2007-07-02
This is an incredible book! It was fascinating, heart wrenching and motivational all at the same time. The hard work and determination of Mr. Taubman is inspiring. His description of his trial and prison stay was unnerving. But to see the influence he has had on America is truly inspirational. Everyone in the retail industry should read this book to see what a difference we make. Thank you Mr. Taubman.
The rest of the story...........2007-04-17
Having just finished reading A. Alfred Taubman's new book, "Threshold Resistance", I am thoroughly intrigued and amazed with this story. With his entire life focused on doing the right and best things for as many people as possible, how could it be that he ended up on the wrong side of the Government and spent time in our prison system? As with any situation where the primary information comes from new sources, internet, or just word of mouth, this book reminds me as a reader that there is a second side to every story. I felt the sincerity in every word written by Mr. Taubman and I can only wish that the entire jury had been able to hear the whole story before convicting him; I believe the course would have changed. However, his own words of "Faith, along with friends and family, can get you through the most difficult of life's tests" truly confirms that he left prison a far richer man than when he entered.
Great lessons in life and business.......2007-04-16
I found this book to be remarkable. Taubman writes with humor and humility. I would suggest that this be required reading in business school classes in entrepreneurship and ethics. His story is one of a Shakespearean drama - his rise from depression era poverty, funding his education through the selling of shoes, to being a young architect boldly suggesting to an industry icon that through design a better sales and profits would result. Then starting his own firm with $5,000 to becoming a billionaire who brought creativity to the business of selling art, root beer and charitable giving. Then as in any great drama the betrayal of a trusted person (Dede Brooks CEO of Sotheby's) and the revelation of his untold side of the trial including prosecutorial misconduct and a judge with more than questionable judgment.
Al Taubman has had an extraordinary career with a story of determination and redemption that will serve well those interested in family business, marketing, functional design, the history of real estate development, trial strategy, charitable giving, art history and personal accomplishment. 5 stars!
Billionaire Claims Innocence.......2007-04-13
Finally, we get "his" side of the story. In this excellent memoir, Taubman reflects on his successes in the shopping mall and real estate world. The details are fascinating and his entree into the world of high finance and the art world are entertaining...we learn that perhaps selling art is not at all like selling root beer. When he stood trail for the Sotheby's/Christie's price fixing scandal in 2001, he went against his better judgement and intuition, and listened to his lawyers. He never defended himself on the stand! Sounds like his got terrible advice from his high priced advisors. I was left with more answers, but a feeling of a missed opportunity on his part. Why did such an intelligent and clever man fail to speak up and tell his version of the truth when it was obviously called for? If we believe his side of the story, the true criminals are still out there in the public - it is a scary tale- a miscarriage of justice and real life tale of greed and deceit. Glad I got my hand on this book! The lesson learned is this....ALWAYS trust your intuition!
Book Description
Meet a genuine American folk hero cut from the homespun cloth of America's heartland: Sam Walton, who parlayed a single dime store in a hardscrabble cotton town into Wal-Mart, the largest retailer in the world. The undisputed merchant king of the late twentieth century, Sam never lost the common touch. Here, finally, inimitable words. Genuinely modest, but always sure if his ambitions and achievements. Sam shares his thinking in a candid, straight-from-the-shoulder style.
In a story rich with anecdotes and the "rules of the road" of both Main Street and Wall Street, Sam Walton chronicles the inspiration, heart, and optimism that propelled him to lasso the American Dream.
Customer Reviews:
Sam Walton Tells His Success Story.......2007-10-17
Made in America is the Sam Walton success story, published in 1993 just shortly after Walton's death and told by the man who is responsible for founding and building one of the world's largest corporations. Wal- Mart, as we know it today, was borne of humble beginnings, much like its founder. Through hard work, perseverance, and a good deal of stubbornness, Walton grew and expanded his retail network larger than anyone expected, achieving great heights in the retail business that stunned many of Wal- Mart's competitors and Wall Street analysts alike.
I have always been curious about Wal- Mart, its foundation, and its policies. I have had many questions about the company and after reading this book, I finally have some answers. First, I had always wondered if Wal- Mart borrowed part of its name from retail giant K-Mart. The truth is, there was no such borrowing of names on either side. Both businesses were founded in the same year- 1962- and neither had any knowledge of the others name. Also, it wasn't Sam Walton who came up with the Wal- Mart name- it was one of his business associates. Another thing I often wondered about was the growth and expansion of Wal- Mart and why I had never heard of the business until the 1980's. I now have my answer: The Wal- Mart concept was originally intended only for small cities and all of the early stores were built in small towns. It wasn't until the company had grown and matured that it started to expand into larger cities and into the Northern United States. This explains why I knew nothing about the Wal- Mart business and didn't see any of its stores until the early 1980's.
Besides answering my many questions about Wal- Mart, Made in America serves another important purpose: To educate the reader on the foundations of the Wal- Mart business and to demonstrate how the business principles that have helped Wal- Mart succeed can be used to help most any business grow and thrive. Made in America is primarily a business book, and it offers many useful tips on business growth, employee relations, community involvement, and the like. Many of the tips are obvious, but even those that were considered pioneering at the time are still useful for most companies, both new and old.
Sam Walton writes this book in a conversationalist style. It reads like a tape recording of a person speaking. Because of this, the writing skill demonstrated isn't always at the level one would expect from an educated person. The book was co- written by John Huey, but it is still full of grammatical errors, wordiness, etc. I assume that Huey left the book this way because he wanted it to sound as much like Sam Walton as possible. The book is easy enough to understand, but English majors and others will have a field day with all of the grammatical errors and other writing mistakes.
Because this book is intended as a business guide, there is little material that covers Sam Walton's extended family. His wife Helen is mentioned more than anyone, but even she takes a back seat to the business associates that Sam Walton has worked with over the years. The same is true of Sam's four children. He doesn't talk much about them at all, making the reader wonder if the Walton children played any significant role in the Wal- Mart Company's early rise to retail prominence. Each of the four children helps run the business now, but there is little discussion of how they influenced the company in its formative years.
Overall, Made in America is a pretty good book about the Wal- Mart phenomenon and its tremendous growth and influence in the retail sector. I would have liked more discussion on the external pressures (like the labor union issue) pushing Wal- Mart in different directions, but these are touched only briefly. I would also like the book better if it was written in a more professional manner. But this is still a good business book for all to read. It tells the story of how one man turned his love of the retail business into something far greater than he or anyone else imagined. Through hard work, and some smart business maneuvers, Sam Walton helped grow Wal- Mart into a mammoth business. It is a good book that grows on you as you read.
Surprisingly entertaining.......2007-08-05
This book was given to me when I probably wouldn't have bought it myself.
It turned out to be one of the strongest most entertaining entrepreneurial stories I've read. You hear Sam in the pages and you walk away with a greater respect for the man, the store and the story. A fun entertaining read.
Outstanding story of one of our greatest entrepreneurs.......2007-07-12
Outstanding story of Mr. Walton and his vision for affordable retail shopping in America. Chronicles the struggles of this great entrepreneur, and loyalty of his wife thru the process. She lived in fear that they would be penniless because Mr. Walton had so much debt. Story proves that if you have faith in yourself and your vision, your goals can be accomplished. As an entrepreneur myself (see my book Stay-At-Home Mom's Guide to Successful eBay
® Selling ), I found this book very inspiring and full of motivational ideas. Highly recommend to anyone who either has or wants to start his own business.
fast and excellent state.......2007-05-28
the book was in perfect state, sent quicly in a good packaging: perfect!
Fascinating.......2007-03-26
"Made in America" chronicles the meteoric rise of an unlikely billionaire: Sam Walton, who founded Wal-Mart and changed the way of doing business in thousands of small towns in America. The book is candid, enlightening and even funny, a real treat for any would-be entrepreneur. And you don't have to agree with all of Mr. Walton's conclusions about the Wal-Mart effect to learn a great deal from his memoir. Kudos to John Huey, the co-author, for writing a compelling book that maintains Sam Walton's voice.
Average customer rating:
- A delightful book full despite rat-eating violence
- Original, adventurous, and completely enjoyable.
- Great Writing, OK Story
- A great page turner
- Wonderful fantasy fiction
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Neverwhere: A Novel
Neil Gaiman
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Gaiman, Neil
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Similar Items:
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American Gods
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Stardust
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Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
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Coraline
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Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions
ASIN: 0060557818
Release Date: 2003-09-02 |
Amazon.com
Neverwhere's protagonist, Richard Mayhew, learns the hard way that no good deed goes unpunished. He ceases to exist in the ordinary world of London Above, and joins a quest through the dark and dangerous London Below, a shadow city of lost and forgotten people, places, and times. His companions are Door, who is trying to find out who hired the assassins who murdered her family and why; the Marquis of Carabas, a trickster who trades services for very big favors; and Hunter, a mysterious lady who guards bodies and hunts only the biggest game. London Below is a wonderfully realized shadow world, and the story plunges through it like an express passing local stations, with plenty of action and a satisfying conclusion. The story is reminiscent of Douglas Adams's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but Neil Gaiman's humor is much darker and his images sometimes truly horrific. Puns and allusions to everything from Paradise Lost to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz abound, but you can enjoy the book without getting all of them. Gaiman is definitely not just for graphic-novel fans anymore. --Nona Vero
Book Description
Richard Mayhew is a young man with a good heart and an ordinarylife, which is changed forever when he stops to help a girl he finds bleeding on a London sidewalk. His small act of kindness propels him into a world he never dreamed existed. There are people who fall through the cracks, and Richard has become one of them. And he must learn to survive in this city of shadows and darkness, monsters and saints, murderers and angels, if he is ever to return to the London that he knew.
Download Description
"Special e-book feature: contains three stories - ""Fifteen Painted Cards From a Vampire Tarot""; ""Eaten""; ""Apple"" - not available in print edition. The distinctive storytelling genius of Neil Gaiman has been acclaimed by writers as diverse as Norman Mailer and Stephen King. Now in this new collection of stories--several of which have never before appeared in print and more than half that have never been collected--that will dazzle the senses and haunt the imagination. Miraculous inventions and unforgettable characters inhabit these pages: an elderly widow who finds the Holy Grail in a second-hand store...a frightened little boy who bargains for his life with a troll living under a bridge by the railroad tracks...a stray cat who battles nightly against a recurring evil that threatens his unsuspecting adoptive family. In these stories, Gaiman displays the power, wit, insight and outrageous originality that has made him one of the most unique literary artists of our day."
Customer Reviews:
A delightful book full despite rat-eating violence.......2007-09-25
Gaiman has this way of creating delightful stories even though they might contain less than delightful content: such as biting the heads of off live rats, bloody torture, and sifting through human sewage with a net. This is true in Neverwhere, where the story often turns violent. Somehow, though, it doesn't leave any feeling of nervousness or disgust, which is what grounds this type of story in Fantasy and out of Horror.
I'm not sure how he does it, but I believe it might the wondrous and complex worlds that he creates: in Neverwhere, this world is "London Below", a pseudo-real subterranean world in the tunnels and sewers under London. There are many interesting things happening, that the brutality of certain scenes is somehow made more palatable. Dont get me wrong - this is not a gore-fest, but there are very violent moments, as well as moments of extreme emotional distress for some of the characters... but there's no lasting sting. I associate it with a fine Single Malt: there might be a smokey or even sharp flavor to start, but the finish is pure velvety smoothness.
Another reason that Neverwhere appealed to me is the characters: each was a hard-survivalist on the surface (a requirement of living in the dangerous world below London), but they all had a depth to them that quickly revealed the heart under the hard exterior. I found myself liking every character, no matter how small their part in the story.
I highliy recommend Neverwhere, alhtough it may not be as suitable for younger readers as, say, Stardust
Original, adventurous, and completely enjoyable........2007-09-24
I'm relatively new to Gaiman's work, but I found this novel to be quite amazing. The subterranean world he creates below London is quite strange, yet I often felt as if I were there as I read it. The characters are quite appealing and easy to relate to, and the plot takes many unexpected twists and turns, making for a very interesting and enjoyable read.
Great Writing, OK Story.......2007-09-19
This book was highly recommended, but I found it somewhat difficult to get into. The characters are very sketchily drawn, and the story just seems to wander with no real point. There are plays on the names of several London Underground stations, but they seem randomly selected and don't really add anything to the story. There's no explanation of the talents of the various inhabitants of London Below, or any indication of the alliances/hostilities that require areas/times of safe passage. Some characters seem to move between the worlds and the main character suddenly "disappears" from the world above for no apparent reason other than to bring him below as the narrator. The book is very well written as far as the imagery, but without a compelling story to hold it together, it just doesn't mean much.
A great page turner.......2007-08-28
I was recommended this book by my friend, and I'm not disappointed. After reading this, I also read Stardust since it was by same author, and found Neverwhere to be better (darker). I would recommend this book to anyone who likes science fiction, has vivid imagination, or looking for a thriller. If you've ever been to London (I haven't), you might find this book close to home as well.
Wonderful fantasy fiction.......2007-08-27
I've always enjoyed fantasy fiction, and thrillers. Combine both, and throw in a good sprinkling of self-deprecating humor, and you have the wonderful read: Neverwhere.
I can't tell you how much I loved this book - I didn't want it to end. The world of Door, and Islington, and Croupe and company is entertaining, inventive, and imaginative. I love books where you are actively challenged to use your imagination, but to do so as smartly and whimsically as in Neverwhere is a total joy.
Set aside a few hours to read -- this is a can't-put-it-down-read-until-you-are-dizzy thrill of a book. I can't recommend any recent fantasy book more heartedly, I loved it.
Amazon.com
To read the latest Trump tale is to be reminded of writer Fran Lebowitz' comment that there are only two social classes in America--the celebrities and the audience. Business biographer Robert Slater, who spent 100 hours with Donald Trump, provides an intriguing link between the two in No Such Thing as Over-Exposure: Inside the Life and Celebrity of Donald Trump. About the man who made bragging an art form, Slater wonders: Does Trump have any definable business strategies and leadership strategies? Why did he become a business celebrity? Why did The Apprentice become a surprise hit?
The result is a surprisingly fascinating profile of a man who shattered the CEO public relations paradigm by branding himself rather than his product. The Slater timeline begins with Trumps' spit ball throwing, football playing, military school youth. He describes dear old Dad's philosophy of development ("Get in get it done, get it done right and get out.") This is followed by an engaging recap of how Trump changed the New York skyline by leveraging Atlantic City properties and then became a poster boy for the recession of the 1990s. His much reported rise and comeback is deconstructed in terms of his capacity for self-branding (force of personality, willingness to broadcast private life, delivering the goods, and "truthful hyperbole.")
Slater spends too much time on getting Trump to say yes to the book and trying to create a management roadmap from Trump's unique career. But he gets the details right. Trump tends to stay close the office, doesn't use computers, thinks e-mail is for wimps, avoids germs by withholding handshakes, broke up with his second wife in a gossip column, and calls himself the biggest star on television.
Slater interviewed 150 people, yet the most revealing moments are when Trump speaks for himself. For example, when he insists that he is "worth the salary of six actors on Friends." When ex-wife Marla Maples comments about his virility, he says, "That's what sells condos in New York." Such comments derail Slater's desire to extract leadership lessons from Trump. Whether you find him brilliant or a carnival barker, Donald Trump is one of a kind. His success represents a moment when a celebrity and his audience are merged: Neither can stop looking at him. --Barbara Mackoff
Download Description
"With The Apprentice, Donald Trump has gone beyond celebrity to become a true legend. He's the one billionaire everyone recognizes, the only one whose name is its own global brand. But, for all the ink that's been spilled about him, nobody's ever fully captured the man¿until now.
Donald Trump agreed to give Robert Slater unprecedented access to his world: over 100 hours of private conversations and meetings. Wherever Trump went, Slater was there: as a ""fly on the wall"" at deal-making sessions, on Trump's Gulfstream...everywhere. Slater interviewed 150 of Trump's former and present employees and colleagues, even his toughest competitors.
Now, he reveals the man in full: the businessman and dealmaker, strategist and survivor, celebrity and personality. You'll learn how Trump transformed himself from an unknown local real-estate developer to a global magnate. You'll see how he really does business, discovering lessons that go far beyond anything he's revealed before. You'll witness his brilliant media management...and watch him leverage his celebrity to save his casino business, not once but twice. Most remarkable of all, you'll discover how Trump really feels about his celebrity, his empire, his outsized American life.
- Why there's no such thing as over-exposure
- From celebrity to legend: larger than life¿and lovin' it
- Not just a billionaire: a global brand
- How to build a multi-billion-dollar global business on your own name
- One tough hombre: coming back, again and again
- From $9.2 billion in debts to the Forbes wealthiest American list
- A ""fly on the wall"": watch Trump operate, for real Trump at work: real Trump dealmaking, decision-making, and leadership
The real Donald Trump: the most revealing Trump profile ever written!
Based on an unprecedented 100 hours of private, personal access to Trump...plus over 150 interviews with associates and rivals!
The first book to capture all of Trump: executive, dealmaker, strategist, survivor, celebrity, student of the media...and the man behind the legend
Beyond the art of the deal: Trump-powered business lessons you won't find in his own books
Who is Donald Trump?
You think you know. You don't. Even if you've watched The Apprentice.
Even if you've read his best-selling books.
Want to know what really makes him tick? How he really operates?
When Donald Trump heard about the book, he threatened to sue. Then, he changed his mind...and gave Robert Slater more access than any other journalist or author¿ever. Slater sat beside Trump at buy-out sessions and building inspections, on his helicopter and jet plane, at QVC and at Apprentice rehearsals. Slater watched Trump in public¿and in his most unguarded moments. And Slater talked to everyone...from legendary rival Steve Wynn to publicity-shy Trump family members.
The result: the most intimate and powerful Trump profile ever written.
This, finally, is the real Trump: totally uncensored, and utterly riveting. "
Customer Reviews:
No such thing as journalism.......2007-04-26
Robert Slater wants you to know that Donald Trump threatened to sue him, to prevent him from writing this book. "Odd and chilling," is how the author describes the letter he received from one of Trump's lawyers, during the height of the success of The Apprentice.
The lawsuit didn't happen, and after wasting several hours of my life reading "No Such Thing as Over-Exposure," the reason is evident. Trump -who must indeed be a very charming person--brought Slater to his side, and used him as a stenographer for his endless hype and self-promotion. Slater doesn't question anything, not even the most ridiculous of Trump's assertions, such as saying that he could go into the Middle East, and bring peace to the area, faster than you can say, "You're Fired."
Slater -who must have picked up something from his subject in terms of hyperbole--wants the reader to believe that he did a tremendous amount of research (More than 150 interviews! Flights in Donald's plane and helicopters!) but the book comes across as nothing more than a quickie job and one more pamphlet proclaiming the wonders of The Donald.
A Good Read!.......2005-08-29
This admiring biography of real estate billionaire Donald Trump begins with a reference to Trump's "swept-back blonde mane" - although his thinning forward comb-over is probably the most famous weird hairdo in America. Perhaps author Robert Slater picked up a bit of his subject's tendency toward what Trump calls "truthful hyperbole." Slater's writing is interesting and accessible, in a breathless sort of way. However, despite being based on 150 interviews, this biography doesn't contain a lot of information that Trump has not already disseminated through his books, TV show and softball press interviews. Slater seems to regard Trump's exaggerations as charming foibles and, given tremendous access, apparently accepts Trump's self-assessment that he is a skilled negotiator, shrewd investor and efficient administrator - even when the author's own anecdotes show Trump in another guise: as a bullying micro-manager. Of course, the insight that negative publicity isn't always a bad thing is a primary theme. We recommend this close-up meeting with Trump to general readers who find that his outsized ego, lifestyle and accomplishments hold a certain fascination and to businesspeople who just want to know how he always lands on his feet. (Hint: he delivers the goods.)
Showman, Showoff Or Sage? .......2005-06-19
If you are interested in the business world or not, there has been no other business leader consistently in the news more then Donald Trump over the last 20 years. If you think he is an attention starved ego driven showman or just a smart business leader in the right place at the right time, the fact is you have an opinion of him. Few other business leaders share his celebrity. It is this celebrity that prompted me to pick up this book for no other reason then to see what all the fuss was about. As a bit of a perspective to this review I have not watched one episode of his TV show and I have always felt that his biggest skill was an uncanny knack for finding television cameras. If you mentioned Trump to me the only thing I would think was oversized ego.
So I needed a lot of convincing to be done to move my view of Trump into more of a positive light. This author did make me rethink my position, but unlike the subject of the book and his in your face M1A1 tank approach to image, the author laid out facts and present his story with limited bias. The author does cover some history, but the area I found most interesting was the focus on the current Trump activities. The one thing I came away with is that you have it hand it to him, he is driving to have his business empire catch up to his ego. Overall I enjoyed the book. This is the first book on Trump I have read in a long time so there was an element of freshness to the subject. I also found that either the author had an engaging method of writing or the subject mater was just so interesting that I kept moving from page to page excitedly.
Trumping the Business World with "Truthful Hyperbole".......2005-05-26
I have read and reviewed many of Slater's previous books and consider him to be among the most perceptive and eloquent commentators on the contemporary business world. It came as no surprise, therefore, that Trump agreed to cooperate with Slater on the writing of this book but only after checking him out with those who had already had a close working relationship with him, notably Jack Welch. There is probably no other executive who has a tighter schedule than does Trump. However, on numerous occasions, beginning in June of 2004, he agreed to meet with Slater or talk with him on the telephone. Trump also arranged for Slater to attend various private meetings related to Trump's building projects; to travel with him to a building site in Manhattan and observe his inspection of it; to journey with Trump for a book promotion appearance at QVC, the shopping channel; and to fly with him on his jet to a "demolition party" in Chicago where Trump planned to build a 90-story $800-million luxury tower on what had been the site of the Chicago Sun-Times. Slater was also allowed to observe a casting call for the third season of The Apprentice television program at during the filming of one of the episodes for its third season. Finally, Trump helped to facilitate many of the interviews of those best qualified to discuss both his business career and the celebrity synonymous with it.
Trump is as protective of the privacy of his three children as he is eager to discuss almost anything and anyone else. Nonetheless, he allowed Slater to meet with one son (Donald Trump, Jr.) and apparently set no restrictions on what they could discuss. Presumably Trump allowed such direct and extensive access, both to himself and to countless others, because he trusted Slater, was favorably impressed by his professional credentials, sensed his inherent integrity, and believed that he would receive fair and circumspect treatment in what later became this book.
With regard to its title, it is Slater's opinion that, at least for now, "there seems to be no downside" to all the attention Trump has so actively sought and has so substantially achieved. "His look of giddy pleasure at the amount of attention he is [currently] getting says it all. He savors having so many choices to make [i.e. he is inundated with participation proposals of various kinds] that put him in the public spotlight. If he could, one imagines, he would not make a choice at all. He would do everything. After all, in Donald Trump's world, there is no such thing as over-exposure." At least for now.
Proportionality is a key element in Slater's earlier discussions of other prominent executives such as John Chambers, George Soros, and Jack Welch and it is also true of what he has to say about Trump. Obviously, there is much that Slater admires but much else which Slater finds irritating (at best) and sometimes infuriating (at worst). Of greatest interest to me is Slater's explanation of how and why Trump "openly names his products after himself and markets his name as synonymous with his products: his luxury residences, his casino hotels, and so on. [Trump] insists, as well -- correctly, at it turns out -- that using his name on his company products enhances their value." (Please see Chapter 8, "Branding a Name.") I was also interested in learning about certain differences between the public Trump and the private Trump. For example, that he seldom fires anyone in the Trump organization and, generally, is far more patient, forgiving, generous, and deferential than his public persona suggests.
More a quibble than a complaint, I wish Slater had included (perhaps as an appendix) an annotated Timeline of the key dates and defining moments in Trump's career thus far. For example, when and why he decided to become a commercial real estate developer in Manhattan, Atlantic City, Chicago, and Las Vegas; also, when and why he agreed to produce and star in The Apprentice television program. Slater addresses these and other issues within his narrative. However, given the complexity of Trump's various business activities, it would be helpful to have a chronological frame-of-reference to consult periodically, one which clarifies when, what, with whom, where, etc.
Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out Slater's earlier work, notably Jack Welch and the GE Way: Management Insights and Leadership Secrets of the Legendary CEO; Microsoft Rebooted: How Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer Reinvented Their Company; SOROS: The Unauthorized Biography, the Life, Times and Trading Secrets of the World's Greatest Investor; The Wal-Mart Decade: How a New Generation of Leaders Turned Sam Walton's Legacy into the World's #1 Company; Saving Big Blue: Leadership Lessons & Turnaround Tactics of IBM's Lou Gerstner; and Get Better or Get Beaten!: 31 Leadership Secrets from GE's Jack Welch.
Boring, uncritical, uninsightful.......2005-04-03
March 13 reviewer Corinne Smith nails it. This is a basically a series or collection of interviews, primarily with fans of "the Donald", who have no problems with his oxymoronic concept of "truthful hyperbole". Trump is a genius at shameless and shameful self-promotion, with an almost endless ego, but the story told here is flat, uninspiring, unrevealing, and tedious.
And the book is simply boring. Did I say boring? It is boring.
Average customer rating:
- What would you do if you researched a book and didn't find anything?
- A distorted view of Silicon Valley technology startups
- Classic Michael Lewis on Silicon Valley
- How Silicon Valley Was Built and the Next Gen Entrepreneur!
- A Fascinating Insight into Silicon Valley
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The New New Thing: A Silicon Valley Story
Michael Lewis
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0140296468
Release Date: 2001-01-08 |
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Michael Lewis was supposed to be writing about how Jim Clark, the founder of Silicon Graphics and Netscape, was going to turn health care on its ear by launching Healtheon, which would bring the vast majority of the industry's transactions online. So why was he spending so much time on a computerized yacht, each feature installed because, as one technician put it, "someone saw it on Star Trek and wanted one just like it?"
Much of The New New Thing, to be fair, is devoted to the Healtheon story. It's just that Jim Clark doesn't do startups the way most people do. "He had ceased to be a businessman," as Lewis puts it, "and become a conceptual artist." After coming up with the basic idea for Healtheon, securing the initial seed money, and hiring the people to make it happen, Clark concentrated on the building of Hyperion, a sailboat with a 197-foot mast, whose functions are controlled by 25 SGI workstations (a boat that, if he wanted to, Clark could log onto and steer--from anywhere in the world). Keeping up with Clark proves a monumental challenge--"you didn't interact with him," Lewis notes, "so much as hitch a ride on the back of his life"--but one that the author rises to meet with the same frenetic energy and humor of his previous books, Liar's Poker and Trail Fever.
Like those two books, The New New Thing shows how the pursuit of power at its highest levels can lead to the very edges of the surreal, as when Clark tries to fill out an investment profile for a Swiss bank, where he intends to deposit less than .05 percent of his financial assets. When asked to assess his attitude toward financial risk, Clark searches in vain for the category of "people who sought to turn ten million dollars into one billion in a few months" and finally tells the banker, "I think this is for a different ... person." There have been a lot of profiles of Silicon Valley companies and the way they've revamped the economy in the 1990s--The New New Thing is one of the first books fully to depict the sort of man that has made such companies possible. --Ron Hogan
Book Description
As American capitalism undergoes a seismic shift, Michael Lewis, author of the bestselling Liar's Poker, sets out on a Silicon Valley safari to find the true representative of the coming economic age. All roads lead to Jim Clark, the man who rewrote the rules of American capitalism as the founder of (so far) three multi-billion dollar companies-Silicon Graphics, Netscape, and Healtheon. Lewis's shrewd, often brilliantly funny, narrative provides ahead-of-the-curve observations about the Internet explosion and how the success of Silicon Valley companies is forcing a reassessment of traditional Wall-Street business models.
Weaving Clark's story together with that of this new business phenomenon, Lewis has drawn us a map of markets and free enterprise in the twenty-first century and blown the lid off the changing economy.
Customer Reviews:
What would you do if you researched a book and didn't find anything?.......2007-10-18
I'm a big fan of Michael Lewis. He usually brings characters and situations to life and provides a perspective on a situation that introduces me to a new way of looking at things. That's not the case here.
I get the feeling when Michael Lewis got permission to follow Jim Clark around for several months to write about him he thought he'd hit the mother load of great book material. Here was a guy who had traipsed through the daunting world of technology with a seeming Midas touch. Heck, the man had started Silicon Graphics and Netscape.
As I read the book, however, something strange happened, I started wondering, "When did Michael Lewis realize he was following the most improbably boring man in the world?" Jim Clark should be fascinating; he starts huge companies and turns venture capitalists on their ears, he flies helicopters, rides motorcycles and builds ludicrously complex, large and expensive sailboats. Jim Clark is a man who is never satisfied and always striving for the "New, New Thing." Yet somehow, Jim Clark is also apparently stone cold dull.
In the course of the whole book, not one Jim Clark quote is interesting, entertaining, or insightful. It doesn't seem like Clark won't open up to Lewis, it's more like he's a one-dimensional guy. Lewis writes the book in a way that indicates that he's an author that knows he's got nothing but has invested far too much time in research to try to turn back. The book becomes focused on the attempt to get Clark's newest technology-laden boat ready for an Atlantic crossing; hardly what I'm guessing Lewis set out to write.
The crossing itself turns out to be a non-event and unfortunately the book does to. Don't despair though, read Moneyball or Liar's Poker or Blindside and you'll find that Michael Lewis can, and usually does, deliver the goods in spades.
A distorted view of Silicon Valley technology startups.......2007-10-01
"The New New Thing" tells two stories. The first is the story of Jim Clark, a technical entrepreneur who founded three companies -- Silicon Graphics, Netscape, and Healtheon -- that achieved phenomenal heights during the Internet boom of the 1990's. Clark is, to say the least, an interesting character; at least two of Clark's business associates are quoted in the book calling him a "maniac". Clark is driven almost entirely by an unending greed, so for me at least, he quickly became an unsympathetic character around which to hang an entire book. Another criticism I have is that far too many pages of the book are spent on Clark's quest to build and debug Hyperion, the world's largest computer-controlled sailboat. These sections were a distraction from the rest of the narrative. (By the way, it's pretty clear that although they may have been smart, the people writing the software for Hyperion -- including Clark himself -- were all pretty lousy software engineers.)
The second story is that of Silicon Valley, and it doesn't come off looking much better than Clark. Lewis seems to have been granted incredible access to Clark's life, which included the ability to interview and attend meetings with the Valley's top movers and shakers -- the engineers, senior managers, and venture capitalists who fund them. As a computer scientist who has lived and worked in the Valley since 1991, I found this material to be enlightening, and certainly the strongest part of the book. Perhaps most fascinating is the way the decisions of the venture capital (VC) firms and investment banks are based so much on perception rather than sound reasoning. For example, one minute the VCs are writing off their Healtheon investments as a total loss, but the next minute -- when Clark offers to invest $40M of his own money in the failing venture -- they all clamor to invest more in it. Sadly, during the "irrational exuberance" of the late 1990's, this was actually a winning strategy.
One danger in writing a book about the new new thing -- at the height of the Internet bubble no less -- is that it can quickly become old. And this book has not aged well. Yes, Jim Clark was the first person in Silicon Valley to have founded three companies with a market capitalization exceeding $1 billion, and yes, he made himself and many others around him obscenely rich. But most of the companies he started have not been lasting successes: as of this writing in 2007, Silicon Graphics is dying, having lost tens to hundreds of millions of dollars in each of the last four fiscal years; Netscape was acquired by AOL, whose subsequent acquisition by Time Warner nearly killed the latter company; Healtheon merged with WebMD, whose business model is substantially less ambitious than Clark's original concept for the company; and myCFO, the newest new enterprise mentioned at the end of the book, morphed into a company that offered illegal tax shelters to wealthy clients, came under investigation by the IRS, and was eventually sold for only one third of the original money poured into it. Toward the end of the book, Lewis also wryly mocks John Doerr's VC firm Kleiner Perkins for paying $25M for a 33% stake in Google, which he writes 
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