Boomsday

Book Description

Outraged over the mounting Social Security debt, Cassandra Devine, a charismatic 29-year-old blogger and member of Generation Whatever, incites massive cultural warfare when she politely suggests that Baby Boomers be given government incentives to kill themselves by age 75. Her modest proposal catches fire with millions of citizens, chief among them "an ambitious senator seeking the presidency." With the help of Washington's greatest spin doctor, the blogger and the politician try to ride the issue of euthanasia for Boomers (called "transitioning") all the way to the White House,over the objections of the Religious Right, and of course, the Baby Boomers, who are deeply offended by demonstrations on the golf courses of their retirementresorts.

Customer Reviews:

Oderint Dum Metuant.......2007-09-18

It means "let them hate so long as they fear". It is a needlepoint pillow in one of the main character's mother's living room. This book is a scream. Very, very funny, very prescient, better than "Smoking". the antagonists (there are no protagonists) are kind of insane, and just believable enough. The plot is genius: the day comes when everybody starts to retire at once. The economy groans while younger people turn out in violent demonstrations against the boomers. Various wacko solutions are offered - but are they really wacko? Look for details in 10 years. As usual Buckley - our own Thomas Swift - is just a half step ahead of the headlines. And like the man said, "all great ideas begin as a joke". Run get it.

Would rather be "Smoking".......2007-09-07

"Thank You for Smoking" was the first book of Buckley's that I read. While it wasn't a 5-star - it was laugh out loud funny in parts and right on the money in others. (The part with the nicotine patches had me in tears.) But this one - while constructed on a VERY novel and potentially funny way to deal with the Social Security crisis was nowhere near the caliber of TYFS. (Speaking of which - some of the acronyms he made up for the ridiculous groups and agencies were pretty good but after a while....zzzzzz.)

Plus - every single character turned out to be a dud - not one of them was either pure satirical evil or Stepford Wife angelic - just a rather dull dishwater grey. I will buy Buckley's next book - but probably not with the same sense of glee that I bought this one.

Watch out Baby Boomers.......2007-08-30

This is a great comic novel that is both clever and funny. This is the first book I've read of Buckley's, but it certainly won't be the last. The political satire is cutting and very funny. Buckley doesn't spare anyone. Unlike most comic novels, Boomsday isn't a comedy of errors as much as it's a comedy of spin.

Media spin, the way it controls everything the see and hear and read in the media is the central theme of the book. It is this spin that takes a red-bull fueled comment on a popular blog through the political process and debated on the Senate floor.

It's a good story, very clever and worth reading.

Middle of the road for Buckley.......2007-08-26

There are two things you can always count on from Mr. Buckley: spot on political satires and unlikely but thought provoking plots.

This book follows Buckley's standard formula: A heroine who is up against the higher ups in DC who has a flawed hero with a heart of gold helping her out. Surround with outrageous caricatures and crazy situations, and let the reader enjoy the ride.

From the beginning, the action is fast and furious. It doesn't let up until the last page. In this book, Buckley skewers baby boomers' entitlement mentality, pork barrel politics, religious leaders, and blogging. It sounds like an amalgam, and it is a testament that Buckley can tie all of this together and have a fun and riveting story come out.

I really enjoyed this book. It's not as good as White House Mess or Florence of Arabia, but miles ahead of many so-called humorous novels.

Outstanding.......2007-08-23

Buckley's wit and imagination are delightfully, irrreverently outrageous, but "reality-based" as only one who knows Washington D.C. can be. The Nuncio and the Evangalist scene is sublime. This is the best comedic yarn of "DC" since O'Rourke's "Parliment of Whores".

-Bill Hudson
Brownsville, TX

Walking on Eggshells: Navigating the Delicate Relationship Between Adult Children and Parents

Average customer rating:

Don't bother
A must read for parents with grown children
So, I am not alone....
Disappointing
false relationships

Walking on Eggshells: Navigating the Delicate Relationship Between Adult Children and Parents
Jane Isay
Manufacturer: Flying Dolphin Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Interpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Family Relationships | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

Parent & Adult Child | Family Relationships | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
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EMPTY NEST, THE: 31 PARENTS TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS, LOVE, AND FREEDOM AFTER THE KIDS FLY THE COOP
Without a Map: A Memoir

ASIN: 0767920848
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Amazon.com

Jane Isay, the editor who discovered Mary Pipher's Reviving Ophelia and commissioned Rachel Simmons' Odd Girl Out, has written an insightful, compelling book about "the delicate lifelong bond between grown kids and their parents." Isay traveled across the country and interviewed nearly 75 people (including dozens of parents and grown children), and Walking on Eggshells shares moving stories that will help parents and grown children build strong new adult relationships with one another. We asked Po Bronson, author of Why Do I Love These People?, to read Isay's book and give us his take. Read his review below. --Daphne Durham

Guest Reviewer: Po Bronson

Po Bronson is the author of the brilliant bestseller What Should I Do with My Life?, the powerful and poignant Why Do I Love These People?, a hilarious novel called The Bombadiers, and The Nudist on the Late Shift, a collection of "true stories" about Silicon Valley.

When we tell family stories, we so often focus on the beginning and the end. The beginning is the two decades of our childhood and adolescence, and it's been the favorite narrative arc ever since Freud. What happens in your childhood does not stay in your childhood--it haunts the rest of your life. In the last decade, we've suddenly heard more stories of the end--narratives constructed around a parent's death, and often the year spent caring for that parent on their deathbed.

Because these are the conventional narratives, they often distract our attention from the many decades in between. We barely even have a terminology for these years--and the terms we employ sound like oxymorons: "Adult Children," "Parents of Adults." There's an old saying: you can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family. In the beginning this is true--we're in the care of our parents, like it or not. And in the ending this is also true--they're in our care, like it or not. But in the long middle, this isn't so true. The middle is a period where both child and parent can keep their distance, if they prefer. And often do, harboring resentment. We too often accept that this is just the way it is. "She's never going to change" is a common, fatalist refrain.

In Walking on Eggshells, Jane Isay shines a much-needed light on these years. With a graceful respect for the families she investigates, she tells their stories--how they lost their love, and how they regained it. Isay covers the many ways families develop resentment, and the many techniques they employed to make peace. She shows that small changes in routine can go a long way to restoring goodwill. But it's not a self-help book; it's more of a literary contemplation, and we learn more by inspiration than by emulation.

Though this book addresses the parents directly, I suspect it will be passed back and forth, between generations, in many a family. --Po Bronson

Book Description

On giving advice:
They Don’t Want It.
They Don’t Hear It.
They Resent It.
Don’t Give It.

We raise our children to be independent and lead fulfilling lives, but when they finally do, staying close becomes more complicated than ever. And for every bewildered mother who wonders why her children don’t call, there is a frustrated son or daughter who just wants to be treated like a grownup. Now, renowned editor Jane Isay delivers the perfect gift to both parents and their adult children—real-life wisdom and advice on how to stay together without falling apart.

Using extensive interviews with people from ages twenty-five to seventy, Isay shows that we’re far from alone in our struggles to make this new, adult relationship work. She offers up groundbreaking insights and deeply moving stories that will inspire those in even the toughest situations. Isay’s warmth and wit shine through on every page as she charts an invaluable course through the confusing, and often painful, interactions parents and children can face. Walking on Eggshells is the much-needed road map that will keep you connected to the people you love most.

Customer Reviews:

Don't bother.......2007-10-11

I can save you some money...there is little hope for having any kind of loving relationship with adult children unless you are willing to be a doormat.

A must read for parents with grown children.......2007-09-30

I have insisted to several friends that as parents of adult children, they too, MUST buy the book. I even bought extra copies myself and gave to relatives. It's a "keeper" in my library.
Thank you, Jane Isay for the shared revelations.

So, I am not alone...........2007-09-28

Just when I thought I was all alone in the "inapt Mother-in-law" category, I read the book with such relief!!! Alas, I have company!!!

Disappointing.......2007-09-10

This book makes some good points but didn't go deep enough to help me. I found "When Parents Hurt: Compassionate Strategies When You and Your Grown Child Don't Get Along" to be far more helpful because the author, Dr. Joshua Coleman, provides much more guidance for a range of situations and goes into much more depth for this very difficult problem.

false relationships.......2007-09-10

I was expecting more from this book than I got. The basic premise stated over and over is: Don't give advice, and hold your tongue. This seems to foster false and fake relationships. Would you want someone to "pretend" they adore you, when thet really can't stand you? I think most people want relationships that are true and real. I was hoping for a book with more advice on how to deal with specific situations, not just "keep everything to yourself" I was dissapointed in the author.

Leap!: What Will We Do with the Rest of Our Lives?

Average customer rating:

Loved this book!
Don't Leap
Highly recommended
And she wondered why everyone there seemed to hate her?
Buy this book if you want to write a new life script for the last third of your life

Leap!: What Will We Do with the Rest of Our Lives?
Sara Davidson
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Motivational | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Self-Esteem | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Spiritual | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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Thinking About Tomorrow: Reinventing Yourself at Midlife
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ASIN: 0345478088
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Book Description

Thirty years ago, Sara Davidson wrote the phenomenal bestseller Loose Change, the definitive book about the boomer generation’s coming-of-age. Now this witty social observer has again turned her discerning eye to her contemporaries, with Leap!, a no-holds-barred, illuminating, and hopeful look at the choices and challenges we face and the roads open to us.

For many years Davidson earned a living as a successful journalist and screenwriter, but in her fifties she saw her life come apart: She could no longer find work, she endured a break-up with her partner, and her children left for college. For the first time ever, she had nothing to do. She felt adrift, but she found that she was not alone.

In Leap!, Davidson sets out on a passionate quest to learn how to do the coming years well. Drawing on her own experience and that of others, she explores such questions as

• How does a high-powered person learn to walk down the ladder gracefully?
• How can women continue to be sensual and not touch-deprived?
• How do we arrange to grow old with our friends?
• What will be the fire at the center of our lives?
• Why are we still here?

Davidson interviews people from across the country and from all walks of life, including such icons as Carly Simon, Tom Hayden, Tracy Kidder, Jane Fonda, Ram Dass, and Iman, as well as teachers, writers, psychologists, businesspeople, and spiritual leaders. The candid portraits are both inspiring and cautionary.

True to character, boomers will approach these years differently from previous generations, and there will be no single path. Some will feel free for the first time to take risks; others will embark upon a spiritual search; some will want to give back, to make the world a better place; others will want to play or make creativity a priority. But they will not fade quietly into the sunset.

With Leap!, Sara Davidson holds up a mirror for readers, allowing them to see not only themselves and those around them but their potential future. With Davidson as a guide, the possibilities are boundless.

Customer Reviews:

Loved this book!.......2007-10-11

Great book! Sara Davidson gives the reader a renewed vision of a present and future filled with hope and possibility. Anyone searching for courage and meaning in their life,(not just boomers) will do well to read this eloquent, insightful and humorous account of fellow travelers. Personally, i was very surprised and ultimately thrilled that so many of the experiences and desires,(especially the author's) were the same as my own. It was wonderful to know there are kindred spirits out there and i found it extremely encouraging. I think many of us are grateful to Sara for "putting our soul quest" into words.

Don't Leap.......2007-10-11

Sorry Sara, but I don't think writting this book is what you should have done with the rest of your life.
I think you have more to offer the world than this.

Highly recommended.......2007-10-10

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Leap! Davidson reflects on aging, sex, love, bodies, career, community,spirituality, and world view and interviews dozens of other Boomers about their lives and views.

Many of her interviewees were well known during when the older Boomers were coming of age, such as Jane Fonda, Tom Hayden, Paul Krassner, Carly Simon, Gloria Steinem, Cheryl Tiegs, Ram Dass, and Andrew Weil. Others lived less in the public eye, but contributed vitally to the arts, healthcare, spirituality,and education.The insights -- both Davidson's own and those of her interviewees -- are thought provoking and fascinating.

Some people have criticized the book for being too much about celebrities and too little that applies to rest of us. I disagree. Learning how the people who helped to shape our world view decades ago are doing now, what they're thinking, how they look back and forward, how they cope with their own aging in a world that, in most cases, has moved past their contributions, is fascinating and valuable.

Joan Price, author of Better Than I Ever Expected: Straight Talk About Sex After Sixty
Better Than I Ever Expected: Straight Talk About Sex After Sixty

And she wondered why everyone there seemed to hate her?.......2007-09-30

This is a very good example of how not to write an auto-biography. If you buy it for that use, you haven't wasted your money. If you consider buying it to help you make some hard decisions in your own destiny, don't do it! She goes on and on and cries many tears about her own sorry fate and betrayal by all who (she thinks) should love her ... and I still can't figure out what the publishers were thinking when they accepted the book; it wasn't to help others make decisions or create their own paths.

Buy this book if you want to write a new life script for the last third of your life.......2007-09-22

5 Stars--Buy this book if you're looking to write a new script for the last third of your life!

I found Leap! to be encouraging and inspirational. I highly recommend this book if you're looking to see how some people redefined themselves in their later years -- as a jumping off point for your own redefinition. For me it stimulated thought about my own situation and how I can leverage it in my own way. In fact, I spent the weekend after reading it coming up with new ideas. It came at the right time: I'm 56 and looking at a life change in the very near future. I loved this book and some of my friends and family will be unwrapping it at Christmas.

Perhaps those who were disappointed were looking for a step-by-step how-to. Life is not that simplistic, one size does not fit all and this is not that book. But if you want an optimistic view of the possibilities for the last third of your life--this is the right book.

For the most part, the people interviewed had analyzed their lives and made thoughtful decisions based on their own life circumstances. Clearly, these are people who had progressed further than survival on Maslow's old "hierarchy of need" scale--because they're the only people who have the luxury of really redefining themselves.

Still, you don't have to be affluent to do it -- I know a number of people of modest means who have redefined themselves in the 60s and are perfectly happy with their new lives.

The Cheryl Tiegs interview was amusing--not that I found her all that inspirational for me (I'll never have her breasts or her money) but it was interesting to hear her thoughts based on her own situation. Although I don't consider her views a model (so to speak) they are as valid as anyone else's--and since we know a little about her history it was mildly interesting to see where she's at today.

Great, thoughtful read for anyone over 40 and especially those of us in our 50s looking to do something else with our lives.

The Price of Privilege: How Parental Pressure and Material Advantage Are Creating a Generation of Disconnected and Unhappy Kids

Average customer rating:

afflictions of affluence
a practical and insightful book
Clearly I'm in the minority here..
The Price of Privilege
Very Important Book

The Price of Privilege: How Parental Pressure and Material Advantage Are Creating a Generation of Disconnected and Unhappy Kids
Madeline Levine
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Adolescent Psychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0060595841
Release Date: 2006-07-03

Book Description

Madeline Levine has been a practicing psychologist for twenty–five years, but it was only recently that she began to observe a new breed of unhappy teenager. When a bright, personable fifteen–year–old girl, from a loving and financially comfortable family, came into her office with the word empty carved into her left forearm, Levine was startled. This girl and her message seemed to embody a disturbing pattern Levine had been observing. Her teenage patients were bright, socially skilled, and loved by their affluent parents. But behind a veneer of achievement and charm, many of these teens suffered severe emotional problems. What was going on? Conversations with educators and clinicians across the country as well as meticulous research confirmed Levine's suspicions that something was terribly amiss. Numerous studies show that privileged adolescents are experiencing epidemic rates of depression, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse –– rates that are higher than those of any other socioeconomic group of young people in this country. The various elements of a perfect storm –– materialism, pressure to achieve, perfectionism, disconnection –– are combining to create a crisis in America's culture of affluence. This culture is as unmanageable for parents –– mothers in particular –– as it is for their children. While many privileged kids project confidence and know how to make a good impression, alarming numbers lack the basic foundation of psychological development: an authentic sense of self. Even parents often miss the signs of significant emotional problems in their "star" children. In this controversial look at privileged families, Levine offers thoughtful, practical advice as she explodes one child–rearing myth after another. With empathy and candor, she identifies parenting practices that are toxic to healthy self–development and that have contributed to epidemic levels of depression, anxiety, and substance abuse in the most unlikely place –– the affluent family.

Customer Reviews:

afflictions of affluence.......2007-09-05

Madeline Levine knows the afflictions of affluence. Although she was raised in a blue collar setting and her family even lived on state assistance for a while, for thirty years she's lived in Marin County, California, just across the Golden Gate Bridge, where she's raised a family of five and practiced as a clinical psychologist. In addition to her personal experiences as a mother and a clinician, her book includes the findings of social-scientific studies, cultural analyses, and the insights of her colleagues to explore the "paradox of privilege." Why are there so many kids "whose problems seem out of proportion to their life circumstances?" Why do her adolescent patients have some of the highest rates of dysfunctional behaviors, including addictions, eating disorders, cutting, burning, depression, insomnia, boredom and anxiety? Why have adolescent suicides quadrupled since 1950?

Levine encourages us to take an "unflinching look at our parenting skills." There she finds two contributing factors: achievement pressure and maladaptive perfectionism that make kids feel like parental love depends upon performance. Kids also feel isolated from their parents, even those overweening parents who, out of their own neediness, are not simply involved in the lives of their kids but downright intrusive. Levine teases out the distinctions between support and micro-management, wholesome encouragement and overbearing pressure. She also spends considerable time deconstructing the more toxic elements of affluent cultures, encouraging parents to resist the status quo of overwrought competition, perfectionism, and materialism.

All parents have limited abilities, skills, and opportunities, not to mention their own family of origin baggage. Children are all different and unpredictable, so there is no one-size-fits-all set of techniques that guarantees success. Levine is empathetic and realistic; she never makes you feel like parenting requires sainthood. I especially appreciated the several times she shared her own family failures and successes. She repeatedly returns to the special influence of mothers on their children, along with the their unique challenges (including her entire last chapter). I'm sure that many of the problems she describes exist not merely in affluent communities but most everywhere. The wisdom she offers in this book will help any parent, no matter where they live.

a practical and insightful book.......2007-07-11

One reason I was pleased with this book is that the author, psychologist Madeline Levine, doesn't blame money itself for the rising problems among privileged teens. She mentions wealthy families where the kids are raised to be decent, hard-working, responsible and mature. Rather than rail against the evil of money (which would've been annoyingly hypocritical, given that she, her husband and sons live in an affluent community), Dr. Levine makes an important distinction between money and the values that often go hand-in-hand with money (but don't have to).

One example is the attitude of materialism one sees in many privileged communities. Materialism isn't constrained to any one socioeconomic class; a person from a poor or middle class home may also value his possessions excessively, and place more importance on acquiring more "stuff" at the expense of spending quality time with family, forming friendships, and cultivating meaningful interests and positive character traits. The reason why materialism is often associated only with wealth, is that wealthy people have the means to indulge it more often and in more conspicuous ways. The point is, it's this mindset that Levine criticizes, not money per se. She knows wealthy kids who are well-adjusted, in part because their parents had them do chores around the house, encouraged them to volunteer and engage in community activities, did not cave in and buy them everything they wanted, and basically set firm boundaries and placed emphasis on the important values in life. In less healthy families, material goods are sadly seen as fulfilling all needs and solving all problems.

It's painful to read about parents who hold out bribes of expensive cars and clothes in the hopes that their kids will get the best grades, make the best sports teams, and get into the best colleges. As Levine points out, it's not only materialism that hurts these kids. It's also the intense pressure to be the best at everything and pull it off without any apparent effort. The emphasis on outward appearance, on superficial measures of success stifles many of the kids in these communities.

One example she gives is a boy who's unremarkable academically but very gifted at car repair and mechanics. For his parents it's a nightmare; they're ambitious, college-educated professionals and can't accept their son's enthusiasm and preference for what they see as lower class work. They criticize him relentlessly, and as one coping mechanism for feeling so under-valued and out of place in his family and community, he turns to drugs and starts acting out. Levine doesn't excuse the boy's behavior, but she can understand it; in addition to drug abuse treatment, part of her therapy involves the parents and getting them to see that their son is his own person and shouldn't be forced into the prototypical mold for a "successful" child.

Which brings me to another good point about the book. Levine really encourages parents to rethink their parenting styles and review their values and motives. For example, after reading this book a father might wonder why he's pushing his son so hard to play a sport - is it because he wants the boy to learn something and grow as a person? Or is it because he wants to live vicariously through his son and be the envy of the other competitive fathers in the community?

Levine is sympathetic to parents. She acknowledges that most parents want the best for their kids. She has particular compassion for the mothers in these affluent communities, who often lead lonely lives and, because of the need to appear perfectly happy and perfectly together, often don't have a close friend to confide in (in fact, one of the pitfalls is a socially isolated mother turning to her kids for the kind of emotional intimacy she isn't getting from her spouse and friends). She urges parents, particularly mothers, to address the troubled and painful issues in their own lives; essentially, a content and well-adjusted parent makes for a much better influence on a kid than one who is cold and remote, or clingy and needy, or just downright depressed.

Dr. Levine's book is thoughtful, straightforward and worth reading. Though all parents can benefit from her advice, the book is especially important for affluent parents who inspite of their good intentions might readily adopt the dominant values of their communities - the materialism, the pressure to look good and (at least outwardly) succeed, the emotional isolation, and the conformity to a certain kind of lifestyle. As Levine demonstrates again and again in her book, these values stunt and skew development.

Clearly I'm in the minority here.........2007-06-13

This is a very good book with many valuable insights and clinical observations. The problem I have with this book is the same problem I have with the psychological and psychiatric communities in general. Psychotherapists like Dr. Levine have effectively removed religion from their professional discourse and thus their diagnoses, both personal and scoial, are inevitably incomplete. In my opinion, there is a clear link between affluence and secularism/atheism and between secularism/atheism and depression. Statistically, impoverished, less affluent peoples are far more likely to attend religious services on a weekly basis and to hold the religious life in higher esteem. Perhaps it is this lack of a religious orientation that causes or helps to cause those issues which Dr. Levine does consider at length; depression, materialism, perfectionism, stress etc. Unfortuantely, in today's psychiatric climate the question of religion is off the table.

The Price of Privilege.......2007-03-12

This book enlightens parents to the consequences of pampering their chidren monetarily and with lack of discipline. The topic crosses the affluence boundary and affects all families in this day and age, to some extent. Chidlren are growing up with less of a spiritual core which parents fill with 'stuff', playing into the consumer culture of today. It's not only a great parenting book, but an excellent profile of our need to succeed in order to feel worthy. She is a great writer and I highly recommend this book.

Very Important Book.......2007-02-13

I gave this to one of my sisters last spring when her teenage son was going thru some difficulties. She subsequently gave it to her husband, and then to the school headmaster who made it mandatory reading for the school's counseling dept. If they believe so strongly in this book, parents can, too.

Deal Terms - The Finer Points of Venture Capital Deal Structures, Valuations, Term Sheets, Stock Options and Getting VC Deals Done (Inside the Minds)

Average customer rating:

A Quick Guide to Venture Capital Thinking
Great Book - But Even Better is Author DVD Called Negotiating Term Sheets & Valuations in VC Deals
Very Disappointed
Solid reference for entrepreneurs
Helpful, practical, and brilliant!

Deal Terms - The Finer Points of Venture Capital Deal Structures, Valuations, Term Sheets, Stock Options and Getting VC Deals Done (Inside the Minds)
Alex Wilmerding
Manufacturer: Aspatore Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Stocks | Investing | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Raising Capital | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Business & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 1587622084

Book Description

Deal Terms is the first ever in-depth look at valuations, preferred stock, stock options and other variables that affect deal structure, written by Alex Wilmerding (a venture capitalist at Boston Capital Ventures and best selling author of Term Sheets & Valuations). Written from a venture capital perspective, however applicable for all types of financings, Deal Terms includes actual term sheets, valuation methodology and analysis, assessment of stock option programs and their impact on valuations and capital structures and other real world documents used by leading venture capitalists and lawyers analyzed from multiple perspectives. A must have book for any executive, entrepreneur, or financial professional, this timeless classic is an unprecedented resource that will help you avoid costly mistakes, understand various structures and terms, and understand wording and language from other deal sheets to help you get deals done.

According to Graham Anderson, General Partner at Euclid SR Partners, "Deal Terms provides critical, in-depth, first-hand perspective on the crucial terms and factors which influence financing decisions." Clifford Schorer, Entrepreneur in Residence, Columbia Business School remarks, "Deal Terms is an indispensable reference for entrepreneurs and finance professionals." And Andrew McKee, General Partner at Webster Capital notes, "Deal Terms is a really important resource."

Download Description

Customer Reviews:

A Quick Guide to Venture Capital Thinking.......2006-06-21

This book, one claimed by the publisher to fall into the need-to-read category rather than the nice-to-read, is aimed at giving the businessman the information he needs to know to be able to hold an intelligent conversation with a venture capitalist.

It's a pretty quick and easy read, but the businessman who has gotten his business up to the stage where outside money is needed is probably not a financial type but an engineer, or scientist or perhaps just plain businessman. This book, written from the venture capitalist standpoint, will explain to him such things as how to value a company, verious types of stock, dilution of the ownership, in short, all of the things that will need to be understood when a big time financial deal goes down.

It's not an in depth book, each of these subjects can and has several books describing them 'in depth.' Instead it is a small book that gives you what you need to know quickly.

Great Book - But Even Better is Author DVD Called Negotiating Term Sheets & Valuations in VC Deals.......2006-05-17

This author definitely knows his stuff - but even better is author's new product called Negotiating Term Sheets and Valuations in Venture Capital Deals (ISBN 1597010987). It is a 100 minute DVD that has a lot of different material in it that is critical for doing venture capital deals. It also covers specific negotiation strategies and roles and motivations for each key deal participant - which is not covered in this book or the authors other book (Term Sheets & Valuations).

Very Disappointed.......2006-05-15

After enjoying his first book, Term Sheets and Valuations, I was looking forward to this one. I regret to say that I found it a big waste of time and a bigger waste of money.

It appears as if the marketing of the book by the pblisher sought to take advantage of his first book by raising the price by 500%, giving the impression that this book was better or more comprehensive. However, nothing could be further from the truth.

Solid reference for entrepreneurs.......2005-12-29

'Deal Terms' is a solid reference for entrepreneurs with 'need-to-read' (as opposed to 'nice-to-read') information regarding venture financing deals. I find Wilmerding's interviews with various relevant players (e.g. legal counsellor, venture capitalist, entrepreneur) to be a good differentiator of the book; the quick analysis of actual term sheet is also pragmatic. The 'Valuation' section is relatively generic & is the weaker part of the book.

Helpful, practical, and brilliant!.......2004-05-07

I recently finished your book "Deal Terms" and found it extremely
helpful as we are looking into our first round of financing.

This book showed me numerous issues that I would have definitely overlooked or simply not thought of.

Thanks for writing Deal Terms. Definitely an invaluable
reference for anyone in business!

They Like Jesus but Not the Church: Insights from Emerging Generations
Average customer rating:

Must read for parents

DVD Curriculum on it's way

Great insight!

Not What I Expected

Becoming Missionaries

They Like Jesus but Not the Church: Insights from Emerging Generations
Dan Kimball
Manufacturer: Zondervan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Christian Living | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Church History | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Evangelism | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches: Five Perspectives

Sex God: Exploring the Endless Connections Between Sexuality And Spirituality

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Jim and Casper Go to Church: Frank Conversation about Faith, Churches, and Well-Meaning Christians

ASIN: 0310245907

Book Description

Many people today, especially among emerging generations, don't resonate with the church and organized Christianity. Some are leaving the church and others were never part of the church in the first place. Sometimes it's because of misperceptions about the church. Yet often they are still spiritually open and fascinated with Jesus. This is a ministry resource book exploring six of the most common objects and misunderstandings emerging generations have about the church and Christianity. The objections come from conversations and interviews the church has had with unchurched twenty and thirty-somethings at coffee houses. Each chapter raises the objection using a conversational approach, provides the biblical answers to that objection, gives examples of how churches are addressing this objection, and concludes with follow-through projection suggestions, discussion questions, and resource listings.

Customer Reviews:

Must read for parents.......2007-10-23

This is a great book if you want to understand the postmodern generation. Interviews with people who like Jesus, but are frustrated with the traditional church. Thought provoking...easy style...great read!

DVD Curriculum on it's way.......2007-10-10

For anyone that liked the book there is a DVD based curriculum for churches and small groups that will be available in early 2008.

Great insight!.......2007-09-29

This book opened my eyes to seeing how the emerging generation views the church. Being raised in the church seems to be a definite handicap when thinking of how to reach those outside its walls. Church people think differently than unchurched people. Add to that the fact that the emergent generation views Christians and you have a group that is fast becoming irrelevant to the culture. Worse yet, that is the group holding the secret to the kingdom of heaven.

At times, Kimball can get you discouraged because of the huge disconnect between the church and the world. But at other times, Kimball gets you excited because you just learned something that will help you connect better than ever. Doing that may be hard work for some. It requires laying aside almost all of the old, outdated methodology. That may be the hardest part for those inside the current church leadership. But after reading this book, it becomes obvious that it must be done in order to reach those outside the church.

Kimball's book is a "must read" book for anyone desiring to connect with people raised outside the church. In the immediate future, that is going to be almost everyone.

Not What I Expected.......2007-08-28

This turned out to be a conservative Christian approach to getting people to Jesus and the church. I had hoped it would be a broader look at how people might get connected with churches in a wide number of approaches to faith. But this was another narrow view of religion.

Becoming Missionaries .......2007-08-24

Anyone who is serious about sharing their faith with others in this generation and culture needs to read Dan Kimball's They Like Jesus But Not the Church. Not so that we can package a church that they will like, but so we will, like good missionaries, understand the culture and the spiritual climate in which we minister.

The book convicted me on the very second page when I realized that I had become so busy "doing ministry" that I had lost almost all contact with those outside the church. My prayer now is "get me back into the game."

Dan's tone is full of grace and understanding, but his words are straightforward and prophetic. Based on several years of interviews with folks outside the church, They Like Jesus But Not the Church highlights the reasons that emerging generations respect Jesus but are totally turned off by his bride. Many of the reasons are misperceptions; many are not. Some of the reasons that really jumped out to me included the following:

"The church is an organized religion with a political agenda."
"The church is judgmental and negative. It is known for what it is against more than for what it is for."
"The church is homophobic."

Dan is whole-heartedly committed to the truth of Scripture , and he shows us how we can uphold the authority of Scripture while stripping off some of the extraneous trappings we have picked up along the way. I love Dan's humility and transparency. He is fair and gracious to both sides of the conversation, and he offers hope to those in the church and those outside the church.

This is one of the best books I have read, and I believe all pastors need to read it. We need to understand the culture in which we minister. We need to understand the people we are trying to reach. We need to get outside the walls of our church office and get to know the people in our communities. And we need to think Biblically and critically about how we do church.

Term Sheets & Valuations - A Line by Line Look at the Intricacies of Venture Capital Term Sheets & Valuations (Bigwig Briefs)

Average customer rating:

Short, concise & useful
Good Content, Bad Format
Just what I needed
Check Out Author's DVD as Well - Negotiating Term Sheets
A Must for Term Sheet Analysis and Composition

Term Sheets & Valuations - A Line by Line Look at the Intricacies of Venture Capital Term Sheets & Valuations (Bigwig Briefs)
Alex Wilmerding
Manufacturer: Aspatore Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Raising Capital | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Deal Terms - The Finer Points of Venture Capital Deal Structures, Valuations, Term Sheets, Stock Options and Getting VC Deals Done (Inside the Minds)
Venture Capital Due Diligence: A Guide to Making Smart Investment Choices and Increasing Your Portfolio Returns
Venture Capital and Private Equity: A Casebook
Angel Investing: Matching Startup Funds with Startup Companies -- A Guide for Entrepreneurs, Individual Investors, and Venture Capitalists
Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies, Fourth Edition

ASIN: 1587620685

Book Description

Term Sheets & Valuations is the first ever in-depth look at the nuts and buts of terms sheets and valuations. The book, written by leading venture capitalist Alexander Wilmerding of Boston Capital Ventures, covers topics such What is a Term Sheet, How to Examine a Term Sheet, A Section-by-Section View of a Term Sheet, Valuations, What Every Entrepreneur & Executive Needs to Know About Term Sheets, Valuation Parameters, and East Coast Versus West Coast Rules. In addition, the book includes an actual term sheet from a leading law firm with line by line descriptions of each clause, what can/should be negotiated, and the important points to pay attention to. A must have book for any executive, entrepreneur, or financial professional.

Praise for Term Sheets & Valuations:

"This primer should be required reading for every entrepreneur. It is short, authoritative and worth its weight in gold." - Murray Low, Executive Director, Columbia Business School, Eugene M. Lang Center for Entrepreneurship

"An invaluable resource for executives and financial professionals." - Graham D.S. Anderson, General Partner, EuclidSR Partners

"A valuable resource for entrepreneurs..." - Jeffrey Donohue, Esq.

Download Description

Customer Reviews:

Short, concise & useful.......2007-08-20

This short text is concise, easily read and a most useful tool. If you need to understand term sheets, the short time it will take to read and digest this volume will be well invested.

Term Sheets & Valuations is also an excellent source of reference. It gives an accurate and authoritative view of the subject to hand.

Good Content, Bad Format.......2007-03-06

Term Sheets and Valuations analyzes the finer details of VC term sheets within a framework of what are "investor favorable", "middle-of-the-road", or "company favorable" elements. While this format is helpful, the excerpts are sometimes a bit hard to follow. Not being an attorney, I found this a somewhat arduous read, especially for such a short book.

A better format would have been to include three separate term sheets properly marked up to highlight key differences. This would have required four documents: the book and three separate term sheets. Despite the increased printing costs, it would have been well worth it.

Another problem with the book is the lack of valuation information. Given the title, I would have expected extensive valuation examples. There really aren't any, sadly. This appears to have been done for extreme brevity.

The author does deserve credit for distilling a subject into a rather brief text. Given the limited population that would truly be interested in the nuances of term sheets, his attempt at this book was rather admirable.

Just what I needed.......2006-06-28

This book is a quick read and addressed the outages in my understanding of how to value companies and structure rounds of funding.

Check Out Author's DVD as Well - Negotiating Term Sheets.......2006-05-17

This was a really great resource - but even better is author's new product called Negotiating Term Sheets and Valuations in Venture Capital Deals (ISBN 1597010987). It is a 100 minute DVD that has a lot of different material in it that is critical for term sheets and valuations. It also covers specific negotiation strategies and roles and motivations for each key deal participant - which is not covered in the book.

A Must for Term Sheet Analysis and Composition.......2006-05-15

A great book for understanding term sheets and a much needed book for entrepreneurs, who really do not have many good books to choose from.

Alex provides a concise easy-to-follow explanation of the variability of term sheet design. I would recommend this book be purchased not with his other one, Deal Terms (because it is really terrible), but with what I feel is the best book for entrepreneurs written as far as the quality of content,

The Startup Company Bible for Entrepreneurs (Stathis).

This book tells it ALL, including how to understand term sheets and much more.

Family Wealth--Keeping It in the Family: How Family Members and Their Advisers Preserve Human, Intellectual, and Financial Assets for Generations

Average customer rating:

Great Treatment of Family Wealth Topics
Family Wealth - Keeping it in the Family
Immensely valuable for members of a family business
Hands on, long term familiy peace
Addresses issues of significant importance in the wealth management process

Family Wealth--Keeping It in the Family: How Family Members and Their Advisers Preserve Human, Intellectual, and Financial Assets for Generations
James E. Hughes Jr.
Manufacturer: Bloomberg Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Estate Planning | Personal Finance | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Estates & Trusts | Taxation | Law | Subjects | Books

Preparing Heirs: Five Steps to a Successful Transition of Family Wealth and Values
Beyond the Grave revised edition: The Right Way and the Wrong Way of Leaving Money To Your Children (and Others)
Navigating the Dark Side of Wealth: A Life Guide for Inheritors
Silver Spoon Kids : How Successful Parents Raise Responsible Children
Wealth in Families

ASIN: 157660151X

Book Description

This is the landmark book that changed the way exceptional families think about their heritage, their wealth, and their legacy to future generations - now revised and expanded. "A masterpiece. No one is more astute than Jay Hughes about the topics of family wealth and family life." - Charles W. Collier, Senior Philanthropic Adviser, Harvard Univesity.

Customer Reviews:

Great Treatment of Family Wealth Topics.......2007-09-28

I really enjoyed this book. It's a great treatment of key issues facing families transitioning significant wealth across generations.

This is not a tedious discussion of dry, technical strategies requiring an LLM in taxation to understand. Rather, it is an analysis of ways to maximize the long-term positive impacts of wealth on a family while minimizing the negative ones.

While this book would be a helpful read for anyone concerned about leaving heirs more than just money, I think families with estates over $5MM would find some of the advice most directly applicable to the challenges they face.

Family Wealth - Keeping it in the Family.......2007-02-16

As an advisor, preparing for my first Family Meeting, I found this more helpful than most other books on Family Governance. I really liked the way in which it talks about not just financial capital, and social capital, but human & intellectual capital as well. It resonated well with me and with my Family Office clients. It gives more of a structure for developing the governance model than other books I've seen.

Immensely valuable for members of a family business.......2007-01-03

Chapter 1 applied most directly to my situation, and this chapter alone makes the book worth having on my shelf. Hughes' perspective, from both his own family and his experience advising other families, gives the book authority.

Often family wealth seems to be treated as a "dirty little secret" where money concerns trump people concerns. Hughes provides a framework where financial, human, and intellectual assets can all be considered. He shows that family wealth can be a path towards growth of individuals, families, and their wealth, through investments, philanthropy, and professional development.

Bravo!

Hands on, long term familiy peace.......2006-08-19

I profound and comprehensive book on long term principles and practices to preserve family wealth (human an financial).
A must reading for medium family businesses.

Addresses issues of significant importance in the wealth management process.......2006-08-18

As principal of a financial planning and wealth management firm, I highly recommend this book for families who have acquired wealth and want their children and future generations to be concerned about their human, intellectual and social development in addition to the growth of their financial resources.

Family Wealth does a good job of addressing issues of importance to wealthy families such as the need to create and establish mission statements, plan for family governance and how to create a mutually rewarding relationship with trustees and financial advisors.

As someone with practical experience in planning and/or supervising all aspects of a client's financial planning needs with the goal of protecting and enhancing retirement assets and estates, I especially like the emphasis by Hughes on the need for long-term thinking and how personal and intellectual development is just as important as financial decisions in the family organization.

This book has added a new dimension to our multi-disciplined practice. Along with our principal specialty, retirement income and retirement plan distribution strategies, we now help our clients think of ways to use their financial capital to nurture and enhance their human and intellectual capital.

Family Haggadah: A Seder for All Generations

Average customer rating:

Great Haggadah!
A Haggadah Mostly for the Younger Generations
Perfect haggadah for an energetic and fun seder
Very Interesting. A Great Learning Experience
Great for families with preschool and school-age children

Family Haggadah: A Seder for All Generations
Pamela B. Schaff
Manufacturer: Behrman House Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Haggadah | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Jewish Life | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

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

My Very Own Haggadah
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ASIN: 087441685X

Customer Reviews:

Great Haggadah!.......2007-05-14

We were very happy with this Haggadah. Everything is there (hebrew, songs, stories, the afikomen, the wine,etc.) yet it is not excessively long. We had observant Jews, non-practicing Jews and a few non-Jews at our Sedar and they all throughly enjoyed the service. The ages ranged from 9 years old to 53 years old and included 3 teenagers. Truly several generations represented.

A Haggadah Mostly for the Younger Generations.......2007-05-07

The "Family Haggadah" appears to be illustrated and annotated for parents who want to keep their 7 - 12 year olds engaged during the seder. For that purpose, the Family Haggadah seems to be an excellent choice. Beautifully illustrated with lots of fun "side" facts. If you have teenagers or are a group of all adults, the Family Haggadah will likely come off as too childish. The content is good for various degrees of religious seders. If you are looking for a more cultural/humanistic/secular approach to celebrating Passover, this Haggadah will leave you wanting more. I take my hat (but not my kippa) off to the author for creating a kid friendly haggadah that parents could tolerate.

Perfect haggadah for an energetic and fun seder.......2006-04-11

I was looking for an easy-to-read Haggadah that was intelligent but at the same time fun for kids. This is the perfect one after a 10 year search. It is also the perfect amount of information...enough to make the seder interesting, but not too much that you get the feeling it will never end! Thank you Mr. Gindi for this Haggadah!!!

Very Interesting. A Great Learning Experience.......2003-10-20

This is a wonderful Haggadah that we have been using in my family ever since my dad wrote it. It is easy to understand and it makes the meal so much less boring. I am 11 which is the youngest in my family and we still use it in our seders. I hope that everyone who is young or old loves this book. I sure did!

Great for families with preschool and school-age children.......2003-05-04

This was our third year using this Haggadah with our children, now 7 and 9 years old, and we will probably use it for at least a few more years. The "Family Haggadah" includes a complete service (i.e., no steps are skipped) with brief, clear English narration and key blessings and verses in Hebrew or Aramaic. The service is traditional with some contemporary additions - the Matzah of Hope; a poem written by a boy imprisoned in a concentration camp; Miriam's Cup; and one of our favorites, the Frog Song. The authors estimate that the service will take 45 minutes before dinner and 15 minutes after; we found it took closer to 55 minutes before dinner. The book is beautifully illustrated and includes discussion topics in boxes alongside the main text ranging from "what is your favorite part of the service" to a more sophisticated consideration of what it means to be enslaved versus free. Because the text is streamlined and simplified, rather than dumbed-down, this is also an ideal Haggadah for first-time seder hosts and seder novices of any age. To keep the service brief, very few traditional Hebrew songs are included. If you like to sing, you will need to supplement the "Family Haggadah" with a more traditional book, such as the Maxwell House version available in supermarkets.

Insulation Coordination for Power Systems (POWER ENGINEERING)

Average customer rating:

Insulation Coordination for Power Systems (POWER ENGINEERING)
Andrew R. Hileman
Manufacturer: CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Power Systems | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Internal Medicine | Medicine | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Medicine | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Professional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Science | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Electrical Power Cable Engineering: Second: Edition, (Power Engineering, 21)
Electromagnetic Transients in Power Systems (High-Voltage Power Transmission, 1) (High-Voltage Power Transmission Series)
Symmetrical Components for Power Systems Engineering (ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING AND ELECTRONICS)
Understanding Power Quality Problems: Voltage Sags and Interruptions
Electric Power Substations Engineering, Second Edition (The Electric Power Engineering)

ASIN: 0824799577

Book Description

Emphasizing the achievement of optimum insulation strength at minimum cost, this book presents up-to-date developments in power system insulation co-ordination. It comprehensively covers a myriad of insulation coordination techniques and examines electrical transmission and distribution lines and substations. Supplemented with end-of-chapter problem sets, tables, drawings, and equations, the book focuses on the deterministic method of insulation coordination and the probabilistic method with its emphasis on statistical analysis. Included are two disks that provide 20 computer programs that assist in the design of power lines and substations. A solutions manual is available to instructors only.

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