The Mystery of Capital: Why Capitalism Triumphs in the West and Fails Everywhere Else
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Insightful
  • Clear, Precise, Cogent and Important Thoughts
  • Important work
  • Capitalism Triumphs in "Market" and Fails EveryWhere Else
  • Spot on!
 The Mystery of Capital: Why Capitalism Triumphs in the West and Fails Everywhere Else
Hernando De Soto
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0465016146
Release Date: 2000-09-05

Amazon.com

It's become clear by now the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of communism in most places around the globe hasn't ushered in an unequivocal flowering of capitalism in the developing and postcommunist world. Western thinkers have blamed this on everything from these countries' lack of sellable assets to their inherently non-entrepreneurial "mindset." In this book, the renowned Peruvian economist and adviser to presidents and prime ministers Hernando de Soto proposes and argues another reason: it's not that poor, postcommunist countries don't have the assets to make capitalism flourish. As de Soto points out by way of example, in Egypt, the wealth the poor have accumulated is worth 55 times as much as the sum of all direct foreign investment ever recorded there, including that spent on building the Suez Canal and the Aswan Dam.

No, the real problem is that such countries have yet to establish and normalize the invisible network of laws that turns assets from "dead" into "liquid" capital. In the West, standardized laws allow us to mortgage a house to raise money for a new venture, permit the worth of a company to be broken up into so many publicly tradable stocks, and make it possible to govern and appraise property with agreed-upon rules that hold across neighborhoods, towns, or regions. This invisible infrastructure of "asset management"--so taken for granted in the West, even though it has only fully existed in the United States for the past 100 years--is the missing ingredient to success with capitalism, insists de Soto. But even though that link is primarily a legal one, he argues that the process of making it a normalized component of a society is more a political--or attitude-changing--challenge than anything else.

With a fleet of researchers, de Soto has sought out detailed evidence from struggling economies around the world to back up his claims. The result is a fascinating and solidly supported look at the one component that's holding much of the world back from developing healthy free markets. --Timothy Murphy

Book Description

From the most important economist in the Third World, a revolutionary and practical plan for transforming underperforming economies-based on the forgotten history of how wealth was created in the West.

"The hour of capitalism's greatest triumph," writes Hernando de Soto, "is, in the eyes of four-fifths of humanity, its hour of crisis." In The Mystery of Capital, the world-famous Peruvian economist takes up the question that, more than any other, is central to one of the most crucial problems the world faces today: Why do some countries succeed at capitalism while others fail?

In strong opposition to the popular view that success is determined by cultural differences, de Soto finds that it actually has to do with the legal structure of property and property rights. Every developed nation in the world at one time went through the transformation from predominantly informal, extralegal ownership to a formal, unified legal property system, but in the West we've forgotten that creating this system is also what allowed people everywhere to leverage property into wealth. This persuasive book will revolutionize our understanding of capital and point the way to a major transformation of the world economy.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Insightful.......2007-09-26

I thought this was a fantistic book. The author compares the sorry state of property rights in the third world today with identical problems in earlier periods of US history.

Rich countries are frequently blamed for the problems in poor countries but this book shows why that blame is misplaced. This book also shows why billions of dollars in foreign aid have not and can not eliminate third world poverty.

4 out of 5 stars Clear, Precise, Cogent and Important Thoughts.......2007-09-12

Although De Soto is trumpeted in the halls of the Chicago School as a person directly in line with his ideological primogeniteurs, it is clear that De Soto is not an ideologue.

His main thesis is that property rights are one of the fundamental underpinnings of western capitalism. Property rights allow the smooth functioning of capital accumulation without the diversion of too many supernumerary laws and institutions, and form the base impedements that allow capital markets, lending institutions and wealth creation mechanisms to function smoothly. If property rights are not highly developed then the "friction" this creates in the movement of capital impedes growth. As a concrete example, people in Africa and much of Latin America and Asia live in hovels that do represent accumulations of capital, but because these hovels, many owned by squatters cannot be leveraged to create capital or cannot be lent against. They in effect at dead capital because their ownership is in limbo. Advanced societies have smooth functioning property laws and markets that allow the process of wealth creation.

All of this is simple and De Soto does chronicle, as well as he can the underlying condition of dead capital formation, historical development of property rights and solid policies for implementing more legal property controls in the third world.

De Soto is also profoundly motivated to move backward societies forward and feels the poverty profoundly. In this sense he is very much a thinking man's economist and not an ideologue.

The one thing I would state is that the concepts De Soto is propounding are simple in nature and scope. As such I think that De Soto does repeat himself from time to time. Also the historical developments of property rights in the US is a good example of how a country with essentially third-world property rights, emerged to relatively advanced property rights. But I do think that his historical scholarship suffers a little as an Economist outside of his area of interest.
The writing style, though good, is not so exciting at times and would do better with a bit more details on specific human examples. But that should not detract from its scholarship.

4 out of 5 stars Important work.......2007-07-23

This book is a very important work in the area of the economics of property rights. De Soto emphasizes the importance of property rights for the development of developing countries.

5 out of 5 stars Capitalism Triumphs in "Market" and Fails EveryWhere Else.......2007-07-04

Most reader comments on the "political" and "Policy" side of the book. They applause by embracing the idea of less government intervention, better legal protection, better property right and so on. But I will comment the Economic side of the book. The most important point in this book is that there is a lot of "dead capital" in under developing countries. My wonder to this point is that which mechanism generate so huge amount of "dead capital". From the content of De Soto book, it is sure that all these "dead capital" comes from "black/underground Market" or "Illegal Free Market". The "Illegal Free Market" generate 9.3 trillion dollar. Actually I think De Soto is still highly under estimate the value since De Soto does not include all the human capital estimation. I think De Soto agree Free Market is the real source of economic growth.
Also in De Soto analysis, capital is the fuel for economy growth while the Keynesian believe that both individual and government spending the fuel for economy growth. De Soto book does not directly compare this 2 different ways to go. But De Soto clearly show that Foreign loan or aid does no help since it only simulate spending only. From my understanding, De Soto recommends to use Market to replace the government to release the "dead capital". Government is only require to provide minimum effect to ensure that the contract is fulfilled.

5 out of 5 stars Spot on!.......2007-06-24

It's been a while since I read the book. As a citizen and resident of a third world country I can vouch that what de Soto says is the absolute truth. I have also had a business in the USA and the difference is just staggering. The longest procedure in the USA for setting up my business was getting the sales tax permit and that took about two hours. A similar procedure in my country can take months.

I'm a bit amazed that some reviewers are commenting about the book being badly written. I don't have that recollection but then, it's been a while since I read it and I enjoyed it very, very much.
The 10 Lenses: Your Guide to Living & Working in a Multicultural World (Capital Ideas for Business & Personal Development)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • The 10 Lenses: Your Guide to Living & Working in a Multicultural World
  • Promising, but in the end Disappointing
  • The Eleventh Lens
  • "The Ten Lenses" -- A Breath of Fresh Air!
  • "The Ten Lenses" Opens Your Eyes!
 The 10 Lenses: Your Guide to Living & Working in a Multicultural World (Capital Ideas for Business & Personal Development)
Mark Williams
Manufacturer: Capital Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1892123592

Book Description

In this ground-breaking new book, acclaimed diversity expert Mark Williams offers ten "eye-opening" lenses to help you, your organization, and everyone in it, understand how cultural diversity affects the way we live and work. There's the Assimilationist who believes that everyone should act like a true blue American, and the Culturalcentrist who believes that a person's race or ethnicity is central to their personal and public identity; the Meritrocratist who is sure that if you have the abilities and work hard enough you can make your dreams come true regardless of race or culture, and the Victim/Caregiver who believes that because of bias they will never succeed. Learn more about these lenses, as well as six other lenses that Mark Williams has developed to respond to cultural diversity.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The 10 Lenses: Your Guide to Living & Working in a Multicultural World.......2007-01-04

I first read the 10 Lenses several years ago after meeting author Mark Williams at a Summit on Leading Diversity Conference in Atlanta. I have been using The 10 Lenses in our diversity education programs ever sense. This book has proven to a great conversation starter, without the usual "blame and shame" sometimes associated with diversity training. In fact, we have even established a very successful four-week course around "The 10 Lenses" in our Hampton Diversity Leadership Academy. Mark has advanced the entire discussion of "diversity" with this book. I highly recommend it to any diversity/inclusion professional.

John L. Johnson
Certified Diversity Professional
Executive Director
Hampton Citizens' Unity Commission
22 Lincoln Street, 5th Floor
Hampton, VA 23669

3 out of 5 stars Promising, but in the end Disappointing.......2003-12-04

This is a useful Guide to Living as & Working with Immigrants in a Multicultural USA, not a Multicultural World. It really has little or no street-credibility outside the USA.

I've worked for a US Fortune500 Company for 20 years, and in over 30 Countries.

The book confesses upfront to its limitations : although the information is US-centric, Williams, Clifton & Thomas believe their concepts are universal - but they haven't the experience to back that up. They admit they don't know whether current observations will hold up in different cultures, or whether different cultures have different profiles with respect to the lenses. The initial research has focussed on race, culture, nationality & ethnicity. In practice 90% of its focus is on race & ethnicity. Sexual orientation is ignored, and the word 'gay' doesn't appear until over 80% of the way through the book - and its only for one sentence.

Consider some of the Lenses :

For the Assimilationist they talk about "adapting US business norms appropriately, given global norms and standards" - well I've never met a "Global norm" - and as for being able to adapt US norms, there's the problem - you have to reject US norms in order to get on with the outside world. The Assimilationist must think about "Western cultural arrogance" - woah - what about "US Cultural arrogance" - ask a Canadian or a Mexican or the French how they feel about US hegemony.

The Culturalcentrist talks about the "Irish, Polish & Italian Communities", and in the same breath about the "Asian Community" - I'm sure the "Asians" would argue they had less in common between India, Vietnam, Korea etc than those Europeans, who at least had Catholicism in common.

For the Seclusionist : "Globalisation ... diminishes the authority of the USA" - hmm, I thought everyone was rioting recently complaining that Globalisation meant US hegemony? The Seclusionist "rewards the efforts of the majority group" - oh so Williams has never thought of a Society where the dominant group is itself a Minority, such as in Apartheid-era South Africa, and a number of other inequitable Societies today?

The Transcendant options were just not for me - according to Williams you are either 'Religious' or you are 'Spiritual' - nothing else applies. I am neither, and quite happy thank you. I'm always made to feel uncomfortable with this aspect of US Society, and it would be good if Williams had a section on how to work with 'agnostics'.

The Elitist offered no alternatives - what about Communism or Socialism - the inequalities of US Society would not be tolerated in Scandinavia. As I say to my friends in Minneapolis, it's a pity the wrong shipload of explorers colonised North America.

For all the talk about race, there's no mention of working with people in mixed-race relationships or of mixed-race ethnicity - over 10% of marriages in the UK are mixed-race, even though the ethnic minorities constitute less than 8% of the population. I find mixed-race marriages in the USA to be a tragic rarity - and why aren't they promoted in TV programs?

There were no examples of other diversities which can be just as sensitive in Society, such as no case studies featuring Native Americans, Hindus, Moslems, Lesbians, Vegetarians or people with Physical/Mental disabilities.

The much-promoted mystical Chapter on the Eleventh Lens was a real disappointment - just some new world 'Nirvana' where everyone loved each other and did right by each other (I presume so long as you could still hire & fire at will).

When I looked through the Bibliography, I understood; of the 86 references, only 2 of them weren't published in the USA, and they were published in London (both looking back at the USA). You can't write a book about a Multicultural world if you don't read/travel widely.

Williams continually refers back to Title VII of the (US) Civil Rights Act (pity he didn't include it as an Appendix). It would have been nice to talk about the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights - since so much of US Society doesn't comply with it. I recall when one of our Senior US Executives starting to spout about Affirmative Action etc at a staff meeting in Germany - he had to be told to leave or they'd call the Police - because his US-speak was illegal under anti-Nazi legislation.

I scored myself on the Lenses : I am Colorblind, an Integrationalist, Meritocratist and a Multiculturalist. Williams was (in 2001) inviting Contributors to help them develop the book for a wider audience - I'm going to volunteer to help them, because boy do they need it.

5 out of 5 stars The Eleventh Lens.......2003-03-01

Mark Williams' research outlining 10 human mindset "lenses" addresses the problems of conflicting worldviews both in and out of the workplace. His work is extremely well organized for easy reference; you'll recognize in yourself and/or others the Assimilationist, Colorblind, Culturalcentrist, Elitist, Integrationist, Meritocratist, Multiculturalist, Seclusionist, New Age/Transcendent and/or Victim/Caretaker. With hope, you'll also recognize the real point of the book and the research: that you've been reaching for your inclusive ELEVENTH LENS where paradoxical thinking acknowledges and discerns the strengths and weaknesses each limited lens brings to the whole personally, professionally and socially -- and globally. See also the integrative developmental framework in A Brief History of Everything by Ken Wilber and Spiral Dynamics by Don Beck and Christopher Cowan.

5 out of 5 stars "The Ten Lenses" -- A Breath of Fresh Air!.......2001-11-09

"The Ten Lenses" is a badly needed breath of fresh air -- a sophisticated, intellectually grounded, and constructive framework for thinking about diversity issues. It respects and values all people and all perspectives on diversity. It opens a path to understanding each different perspective, even those dramatically different from one's own. It helps take the emotional charge out of verbal interactions between people whose approaches and reactions to diversity issues are widely divergent. It provides a new framework and a new language through which we can talk about diversity and move towards greater understanding. "The Ten Lenses" was an enormous help to me and I highly recommend it.

5 out of 5 stars "The Ten Lenses" Opens Your Eyes!.......2001-11-08

I live and work in Washington, D.C., one of the most diverse cities in America. My department at work was having a lot of problems due to such a diverse workforce. We could not communicate well and our projects were never completed on time and never completed correctly. My boss brought this book in one day after he stayed up all night reading it. He could not put "The 10 Lenses" down. In a very short time, my department has turned itself around using the premises in this book. If you want to have a successful business, buy "The 10 Lenses."
Shouldering the Burdens of Defeat : West Germany and the Reconstruction of Social Justice
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    		Shouldering the Burdens of Defeat : West Germany and the Reconstruction of Social Justice
    Michael L. Hughes
    Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

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    ASIN: 0807824941
    Release Date: 1999-09-01

    Book Description

    World War II and its aftermath brought devastating material losses to millions of West Germans. Military action destroyed homes, businesses, and personal possessions; East European governments expelled 15 million ethnic Germans from their ancestral homes; and currency reform virtually wiped out many Germans' hard-earned savings. These "war damaged" individuals, well over one-third of the West German population, vehemently demanded compensation at the expense of those who had not suffered losses, to be financed through capital levies on surviving private property.

    Michael Hughes offers the first comprehensive study of West Germany's efforts to redistribute the costs of war and defeat among its citizenry. The debate over a Lastenausgleich (a balancing out of burdens) generated thousands of documents in which West Germans articulated deeply held beliefs about social justice, economic rationality, and political legitimacy. Hughes uses these sources to trace important changes in German society since 1918, illuminating the process by which West Germans, who had rejected liberal democracy in favor of Nazi dictatorship in the 1930s, came to accept the social-market economy and parliamentary democracy of the 1950s.
    Capital Theory and Dynamics (Cambridge Surveys of Economic Literature)
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      		Capital Theory and Dynamics (Cambridge Surveys of Economic Literature)
      Edwin Burmeister
      Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
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      Binding: Paperback

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      ASIN: 0521297036
      The Theory of Economic Development: An Inquiry into Profits, Capital, Credit, Interest, and the Business Cycle (Social Science Classics Series)
      Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
      • Dynamics and Progress
      • Before Keynes and Mandelbrot there was Schumpeter
      • On the Economic Causes of Business Cycles
      • Schumpeter's explanation of economic progress
      		 The Theory of Economic Development: An Inquiry into Profits, Capital, Credit, Interest, and the Business Cycle (Social Science Classics Series)
      Joseph A. Schumpeter
      Manufacturer: Transaction Publishers
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

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      ASIN: 0878556982

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Dynamics and Progress.......2007-09-12

      The Theory of Economic Development represents a high point in the history of economic science. Schumpeter had a clear understanding of the difference between static and dynamic issues in economics, and an appropriate appreciation of the latter. This book also shows how advanced Schumpeter's thinking was. On page 10 Schumpeter appears to anticipate the modern definition of economics- 20 years before Robbins wrote his Nature and Significance of Economic Science (was this in the original edition, or just in my 1934 reprint?). Chapter one sorts out Say's Law of Markets in detail, and explains its static nature. Chapter two explains economic development in correct dynamic terms (unlike the pseudo-dynamics of Neoclassical growth theory). Schumpeter is able to explain dynamics because he examines entrepreneurship (and vice versa). Schumpeter also leaves room for real institutions, especially financial markets.

      I can honestly say that I learned some new and important things from reading this book, despite the facts that I have a PhD in economics and took my first economics class 21 years ago. Unfortunately, most economists would learn more from reading this book than I. This is a sad commentary on the current state of affairs in economics. Schumpeter was interested in matters of great consequence and thought about them deeply. There is simply no comparison between Schumpeter's insightful analysis and the tedious and purely imaginary intellectual constructs of Solow influenced math modelers. There is a clear difference between Schumpeter's analysis and the intellectual gymnastics of modern mathurbationists. Schumpeter was a true professional.

      I was somewhat surprised by the extent to which Schumpeter's ideas fit with the ideas of Mises, Kirzner, and Lachmann. Schumpeter is often seen as an Austrian born Walrasian instead of as an Austrian economist in the Menger-Mises-Hayek tradition. There are clear Austrian influences on Schumpeter's thinking, though he was not a Mises clone. I was already impressed with Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy. Schumpeter was a true genius, and an economist on par with Ricardo and Hayek. Read this book to learn some development economics, and a little intellectual history too.

      5 out of 5 stars Before Keynes and Mandelbrot there was Schumpeter.......2004-11-23

      Schumpeter had an expression that intuitively sums up in a few choice words quite a few of the theoretical concepts of J M Keynes and the empirical/statistical breakthroughs of Benoit Mandelbrot.Unfortunately,Schumpeter lacked the technical training in mathematics,statistics and probability that he needed in order to give a rigorous exposition of his intellectual and intuitive discoveries.Those few choice words are"regular irregularity".Looking at the data available to him early in the 20th century,Schumpeter was able to categorically argue ,correctly ,that price movements over time in different markets and changes in investment over the business cycle could NOT be modeled by assuming that a normal probability distribution could be applied.Schumpeter was the first economist to make a clearcut distinction between risk(applying a normal probability distribution with a stable mean and variance(standard deviation))and uncertainty.Uncertainty would automatically arise over time due to the regular irregularity of constant(nonconstant)technological innovation,change and advance over time.It is quite easy to see that Mandelbrot's nonparametric two variable constructs, measuring discontinuity and short run/long run persistence/dependence(as opposed to the normal distributions assumptions of continuity and independence),are described by Schumpeter's"regular irregularity".Unfortunately,instead of breaking with the classical and neoclassical schools of economics,as both Keynes and Mandelbrot did,Schumpeter decided to remain a loyal soldier,downplaying his severe disagreements.This was Schumpeter's great error.He recognized the severe limitations of the standard price adjustment equilibrium demand and supply analysis,but went along anyway.The potential reader will find chapter 6 of Schumpeter's book alone to be worth the price of admission needed to obtain access to Schumpeter's brilliant breakthroughs.

      5 out of 5 stars On the Economic Causes of Business Cycles.......2004-08-29

      In this important book Schumpeter explains the ECONOMIC origins of business cycles. In a convincing way Schumpeter argues that business cycles are inevitable in a developing economy.

      This does not mean that there are no other causes of business fluctuations such as changes in commercial policy, wars, inflationary government finance or panics. But these constitute non-economic data and cannot be explained by economic theory.

      Conventional macroeconomic theory tends to explain business cycles by some kind of error and focus on correcting this error either by active policy or by advocating a hands-off policy. In this view business cycles have no function.

      In a stationary ,non-developing economy (i.e. absence of innovations) there would be very little uncertainty. If you and your competitors have been selling essentially the same product in the same market year in year out and if this were to apply to all products and services would there be any economic risk (fires, epidemics and tax increases are non-economic data) left ? Were there any true economic causes, i.e. causes that economics can explain, of business cycles in the Dark Ages ?

      There is still something to be said for Keynesian theory (although not for policy) in that uncertainty does influence investment decisions and that because of uncertainty in a monetary economy some hoarding of purchasing power does occur. But these are mere symptoms of underlying endogenous business cycles caused by the inflationary investment booms - "animal spirits" if you like - invoked by the swarms of innovating firms, e.g. the internet bubble, and the deflationary busts that follow when the old firms die off and yesterday's innovators become part of the stationary cycle. Schumpeter explains the origins of economic uncertainty.

      What Schumpeter teaches us is that booms and recessions are necessary phenomena in developing economies, that can't be removed or corrected if we are not to thwart the creation of new wealth by innovation. Recessions are the price we pay for long term economic growth. However, recessions can lead to unnecessary panics that cause unnecessary harm to the economy. Here governments or central banks are able to, and should in my view, correct.

      I hope you enjoyed this review and welcome any comments.

      5 out of 5 stars Schumpeter's explanation of economic progress.......2001-01-23

      This book provides a useful corrective to some of the shortcomings of the so-called Austrian theory of Capital and the Business Cycle. Schumpeter, who studied under the great Austrian economists Bohm-Bawerk, was too much of an independent thinker to be part of an economic movement or school. The Theory of Economic Development is his declaration of independence from Austrian capital theory. In the book, he introduces a theory of development and the business cycle that shocked his more orthodox colleagues. Economic development, Schumpeter argues, involves transferring capital from old businesses using established methods of production to businesses using new, innovative methods. Schumpeter's special insight comes in trying to explain how the transfer of capital from the old to the new takes place. Schumpeter argued that it takes place through credit expansion. Through the fractional reserve system, banks are able to create credit, quite literally out of thin air. This money is lent to businesses specializing in new methods of production, who then bid up the price of production goods and consumer goods in their effort to pay for the production goods they require. Thus a form of inflationary spoliation takes place at the expense of established businesses and consumers. Although Schumpeter does not draw the spoliation inference from his theory, it is nonetheless there in the text for all who can see. Credit expansion is a form of spoliation, a form of robbery hardly distinguishable from counterfeiting. But what is unique about the capitalist engine of production is how it uses spoliation in the service of progress. And not merely spoliation through credit expansion, but spoliation through protectionism, stock manipulation, corporate welfare, cartels and monopolies, and outright fraud and manipulation. Schumpeter's book sheds light on just one aspect of this spoliation, and from this stems the book's vital importance to economic theory.
      Nonstop Networking: How to Improve Your Life, Luck, and Career (Capital Ideas for Business & Personal Development)
      Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
      • Common sense but not common practice
      • Not bad...
      • Overpromises A Little
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      • I liked it, solid advice
      		Nonstop Networking: How to Improve Your Life, Luck, and Career (Capital Ideas for Business & Personal Development)
      Andrea Nierenberg
      Manufacturer: Capital Books
      ProductGroup: Book
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      2. Million Dollar Networking: The Sure Way To Find, Keep And Grow Your Business (Capital Business) Million Dollar Networking: The Sure Way To Find, Keep And Grow Your Business (Capital Business)
      3. Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty : The Only Networking Book You'll Ever Need Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty : The Only Networking Book You'll Ever Need
      4. Power Networking, 2nd Edition: 59 Secrets for Personal & Professional Success Power Networking, 2nd Edition: 59 Secrets for Personal & Professional Success
      5. Masters of Networking: Building Relationships for Your Pocketbook and Soul Masters of Networking: Building Relationships for Your Pocketbook and Soul

      ASIN: 1892123924

      Book Description

      Does the word "networking" make you cringe? Maybe that is why many shy away from the very skill that can help them personally and professionally. In Nonstop Networking author and personal marketing consultant, Andrea Nierenberg, reveals unique and easy-to-use strategies for linking-up with people in order to achieve mutual personal and professional goals. Based on five simple steps, Andrea’s system is different from other networking techniques in that it focuses on comfortable and familiar techniques for building relationships and not on handing out business cards and asking for referrals. Readers will discover positive ways to network anywhere, any time and the secret of how to build relationships that will improve their life, luck, and career. Learn twelve techniques to use when approaching a room full of strangers, master eight sure-fire communications skills, discover the types of people you need in your network (and that may already be a part of your circle of contacts.) Are you shy or introverted? Learn networking techniques that capitalize on your natural abilities. Are you anxious about keeping track of all your contacts? Andrea presents an elegantly simple system for organizing and staying in touch with everyone in your network. Easy to read with many examples of personal success stories throughout, Nonstop Networking is a must have for recent graduates, job seekers, career changers, consultants, entrepreneurs, or anyone with a personal or professional goal to achieve.

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Common sense but not common practice.......2007-04-27

      Having seen Ms. Nierenberg in action during an in office presentation, and having read her book, I can say that the take away is a diligent approach to networking which we all "think" is great in theory, but which we do not, as a rule follow in practice (read: common sense, not common practice). Networking involves more than just a passive approach if it is truly to be effective. And that proactive approach is exactly what NonStop Networking stands for--hence the word Nonstop. Networking is an inherently personal thing, so I would say, read the book and use those principles that resonate to you. I started with birthday cards to all of my clients and you know what, it was simple, quick and effective enough to get phone calls from them thanking me for being thoughtful enough to do it. Really good stuff but again, it's only good for you the reader, if you start using it on a consistent basis.

      3 out of 5 stars Not bad..........2006-03-02

      This book is relatively helpful, however, it

      reminds me of term papers I'd written at the

      age of 15 or so, where I'd desperately try

      to increase line spacing and tighten up the

      margins, in an effort to get my closing

      paragraph to fall onto the 5th page, or the

      7th page, or whatever the required paper

      length was.

      3 out of 5 stars Overpromises A Little.......2005-11-20

      Nonstop Networking: How To Improve Your Life, Luck and Career, by Andrea Nirenberg, is a good book on personal networking if one possesses the personality type to engage in this form of behavior.

      My personality is one of an introverted nature, and approaching a stranger to impose myself upon them does not come naturally. Ms. Nirenberg has a chapter in the book with tips for those introverted individuals like myself to pull this off. But her tips cannot change our basic nature and personality type, so the chapter is not much help.

      This book is great for those extravert individuals who want to network, feel comfortable doing so, but do not have the knowledge, skills, or experience to do so. This book would be a great benefit to those people.

      But to those who read the book and expect it to turn them into networking superstars, when that behavior is contrary to their personality type, you will be greatly disappointed. Thus I have to only give the book 3 stars.

      Also, I think the author uses the book to make networking sound like it will solve all of ones business marketing problems. She cites case after case where she networked with someone and the story always ends with, "and now they are a client of mine." I am sure she has had many business successes from her networking, but she never tells of the many networking attempts that fail before reaching the one that succeeds. This does not paint a realistic picture of networking. She makes it sound like every networking effort will end in a new client or a business success.

      Other reviewers have pointed out that while is 170 pages, it is printed in double-space with large font, and the width of many of the pages are further reduced by a sidebar. In other words, this book is a lot shorter than it appears to be. One should just realize you are buying a much shorter book that it appears to be from its appearance.

      The bottom line is this is a good book for those who are inclined to network, but a waste of time for those not already possessing the skills to do so.

      2 out of 5 stars The reality of networking isn't so rosey..........2005-09-21

      The book is a very easy read overall, it's simple and to the point. I wasn't born to be out-going so it's very difficult for me to pull off many of the techniques suggested by the book. I'm a young CPA starting out to building my own client base, and am looking forward to improve my social skills. However, some advices like making lunch appointments to follow up with contacts, are very difficult to pull off. It's ackward to invite someone you just met to go to lunch with, particularly if the person is the opposite sex. How can a woman ask a male contact to go to lunch without making him think that she is asking him to have a lunch date? Or how can a man ask a female contact to go to lunch without scaring her off? I have been attending ballroom dancing and had tried some of the book's networking techniques, but the people that I talked to so far haven't given me their phone number or business card . Unfortunately, I'm in a class where everybody is very much an introvert, much worse than me. I felt like I was trying to connect with someone who was on a very different wave band. A couple girls in the class are actually friends and they totally refused to talk to or look at anyone else but each other. In my opinion, no matter how hard you try to network, the success of it really depends on the group of people and the setting. The reality is, there is always a lot of frustration and you just have to keep going and not let the frustration bother you. That is the hard part. The book suggests writing and emailing contacts. But a lot of people just won't repond to your emails or letters at all. I had once sent boxes of Sees Candies every Christmas to my former teacher who taught me real estate law to thank him for referring me to one of the schorlarhsips that I was applying. He operates a busy real estate investment firm. He never repsonded to my Christmas gifts or cards or emails and I think it's because he was just too busy. So I gave up. I had long ago tried many of the advices suggested by the book before I even read the book. The problem is I always felt intimated by non-response and then I gave up. I think selecting the particular type of people and personalities you want to network is important. Time is too precious and I just can't afford to try to connect with many people who are off the wave band completely. I realize I have to not be intimated by non-reponse and be perservere. Unfortunately, the book doesn't talk much about the harsh reality of network, and neither did it tell you how to overcome frustration and intimidation that are often parts of the networking process.

      4 out of 5 stars I liked it, solid advice .......2005-09-18

      Andrea Nierenberg is the author of "Nonstop Networking: How to Improve Your Life, Luck, and Career". This is good pick for those just starting out and want an easy read about how to network with people.

      Personal networking is an important skill for anyone who owns a business, and there's even a chapter for introverts who are uncomfortable in social situations. Based on the principle that most people are more comfortable doing business with those they are familiar with and trust, it's a nice guide on how to build and strengthen your personal and business relationships.

      Whether you're looking for a job, or have a business and want to gain more clients this type of skill is an important one to develop. Reviews for Nonstop Networking on amazon were favorable, with the only real complaint that the 170 page book is printed in double space type and a large font, so you'll notice it's considerably smaller if it were printed normal size.
      Capacity-Building: An Approach to People-Centered Development (Oxfam Development Guidelines)
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        		Capacity-Building: An Approach to People-Centered Development (Oxfam Development Guidelines)
        Deborah Eade
        Manufacturer: Oxfam Publishing
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

        Economic Policy & DevelopmentEconomic Policy & Development | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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        Capital Theory, Equilibrium Analysis and Recursive Utility
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          		Capital Theory, Equilibrium Analysis and Recursive Utility
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          Economic Analysis of Social Common Capital
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            Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
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            Hard Lessons: Primary Schools, Community, and Social Capital in Nigeria (World Bank Technical Paper)
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              Manufacturer: World Bank Publications
              ProductGroup: Book
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