Book Review: The Twitter Book by Tim O'Reilly and Sarah Milstein

I found The Twitter Book by Tim O'Reilly and Sarah Milstein a very good reference not only for beginners but also expert users.

What I enjoy most about this book is the progression of the topics from beginner use up to business use. There are various gems within that would show any user how effectively use Twitter and many of its tools.

Without this book, any Twitter user can easily get overwhelmed with information and updates from various tweets. Knowing and using the tools shared by the book can help greatly.

I recommend this book to every Twitter user and even for non-users who are already planning to start tweeting very soon.

About the authors:

Happily between gigs right now, Sarah Milstein was until recently UBM TechWeb's GM & Co-chair for Web 2.0 Expo. She's also co-author, with Tim O'Reilly, of The Twitter Book and a frequent speaker on social media for business. Previously, she was on the senior editorial staff at O'Reilly Media, where she founded Tools of Change for Publishing (TOC) and led development of the Missing Manuals. Before joining O'Reilly in 2003, Sarah was a freelance writer and editor, and a regular contributor to The New York Times. She was also the CSA program founder for Just Food, a local-food-and-farms non-profit, and co-founder of Two Tomatoes Records, a label that distributes and promotes the work of children's musician Laurie Berkner. She holds a B.A. from Rutgers University and an M.B.A. from U.C. Berkeley's Haas School of Business. Bonus fact: she was the 21st user of Twitter.

[Disclaimer: I got this book for free as part of the Oreilly blogger review program I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."] 

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Book Review: Product Design and Development by Karl Ulrich and Steven Eppinger

Product Design and Development by Karl Ulrich and Steven Eppinger is one of the most handy product development references I have ever encountered.

The book covers all of the basic steps in the product development process and offers a less-detailed but essential information for those leading product design and/or development teams.

The book is wonderfully illustrated and provides enough detail for understanding the various cross-functional roles and processes involved in designing and developing product.

Recommended for those involved in product development team as well as students of design and engineering.

About the authors:

Karl T. Ulrich is the Vice Dean of Innovation and the CIBC Professor of Entrepreneurship and e-Commerce at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He also holds an appointment as Professor of Mechanical Engineering. His research is focused on innovation, entrepreneurship, and product development. He is the winner of many teaching awards, including the Anvil Award, the Miller-Sherrerd Award, and the Excellence in Teaching Award at The Wharton School. At Penn, he co-founded the Weiss Tech House and the Integrated Product Design Program, two institutions fostering innovation in the university community. In addition to his academic work, Professor Ulrich has led dozens of innovation efforts for medical devices, tools, computer peripherals, food products, web-based services, and sporting goods. As a result of this work, he holds more than 20 patents. Professor Ulrich is a founder of Terrapass Inc. and Xootr LLC and he currently serves on the boards of several technology-based companies. Professor Ulrich holds bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering from MIT.

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Book Review: One Incredible Savior: Celebrating the Majesty of the Manger by Max Lucado

One Incredible Savior: Celebrating the Majesty of the Manger is a gift book that contains various copyrighted works form Max Lucado's other writings.

The book is structured very well and is very beautifully illustrated. The selected excerpts are very appropriate to the purpose of this gift book.

Although I am an avid Lucado fan and have read many of his books, I found this collection of various writings on related to Nativity a fresh and welcome effort.

Recommended for those seeking a Christian gift book that is not too heavy on Biblical references. Not recommended for Lucado's fans who are looking for a new book.

About the author:
Lucado was born in 1955 in San Angelo, Texas, and raised in Andrews, Texas, the youngest of four children. His father was an Exxon oil field mechanic who, Lucado remembers, always smelled of grease cleaner. "It makes it easy for me to see a God who is loving and kind--because my dad was," he says. His mother was a nurse who grew up working in the cotton fields.

Lucado went through a period of rebellion against his parents' values and their God during his teens and into college. But it wasn't long before he found himself drawn back to his roots, back to God. He married, spent time serving as a missionary in Brazil, and returned to the States, where he began working as a church minister and writing on the side.

From all accounts, Max Lucado is not a man consumed by sales, awards, and achievements. He often turns down media interviews since they impede on family and ministry commitments. He spends the bulk of his week serving as senior minister at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. And he is truly surprised by his own success--more impressed by his one-in-a-million wife and three amazing daughters than by his successful writing career.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers thru NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Book Review: Close Enough to Hear God Breathe: The Great Story of Divine Intimacy by Greg Paul

Close Enough to Hear God Breathe: The Great Story of Divine Intimacy by Greg Paul is a very engaging book. It is presented in five parts with three chapters in each part.

What I like most about the book is how the author re-imagines certain stories in the Bible and draws from his own experiences in order to drive the point about intimacy with God. He beautifully draws pictures of how intimacy has been shown in many stories within the Great Story and how the same intimacy is manifested in his own experiences as well as the experiences of others in his community.

I found his writing fresh, engaging and worthwhile.

Highly recommended for those seeking a deeper intimacy with God.

[Disclaimer: I got this book for free as part of the Oreilly blogger review program I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”]

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Book Review: Squawk! How to Stop Making Noise and Start Getting Results by Travis Bradberry

Squawk! How to Stop Making Noise and Start Getting Results by  Travis Bradberry is one of the shortest leadership books I have ever encountered.

The book talks about a seagull manager who has moved his flock from it's regular habitat to a new one. Now the seagull manager faces some problems that, unresolved, will lead to his flock going back.

The book, in parable form, discusses three simple techniques for effective leadership. Having read a lot of leadership and management books, the techniques discussed are very basic but the way they are presented is very unique. 

Although I have heard about 'seagull managers' - those who fly in, make a lot of noise and cr*p on everyone, the book also presented the other side, those being managed. I was able to see myself in one of the seagulls being managed and saw for myself what I am doing wrong too.

 

Recommended for those in management/leadership roles, those aspiring for these roles, and those who are working in teams.

About the author:
Dr. Travis Bradberry is the award-winning author of the #1 best selling book, Emotional Intelligence 2.0, and the cofounder of TalentSmart®--a consultancy that serves more than 75% of Fortune 500 companies and is the world's leading provider of emotional intelligence tests and training.

His bestselling books have been translated into 25 languages and are available in more than 150 countries. Dr. Bradberry has written for, or been covered by, Newsweek, BusinessWeek, Fortune, Forbes, Fast Company, Inc., USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Harvard Business Review.

Dr. Bradberry is a world-renowned expert in emotional intelligence who speaks regularly in corporate and public settings. Example engagements include Intel, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Fortune Brands, Boston Scientific, the Fortune Growth Summit, The Conference Board: Learning from Legends, the American Society for Training and Development, the Society for Human Resource Management, and Excellence in Government.

Dr. Bradberry holds a Dual Ph.D. in Clinical and Industrial-Organizational psychology. He received his bachelor of science in Clinical Psychology from the University of California - San Diego. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Book Review: Blockbusters: The Five Keys to Developing GREAT New Products by Gary S. Lynn and Richard R. Reilly

In Blockbusters: The Five Keys to Developing GREAT New Products, authors Gary S. Lynn and Richard R. Reilly presents the five keys they have found to be common among  companies. The findings are based on a ten-year study of 700+ product launches.

The book uses very famous examples of products and how they evolved from being good to great products. The book is filled with very nice illustrations and very compelling examples of each of the five keys as they are being applied in product development.

What I liked most about the book is that it strikes a balance between being practical and academic in presenting their findings.

Recommended for those involved in innovation and new product development teams.

About the author:
Gary Lynn, Ph.D., is one of the leading scholars on new product development. Formerly a design engineer with high-security clearance at General Electric, he founded the Innovation Research Institute, a company that designed and launched new products in the medical field.

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Book Review: Einstein's Refrigerator and Other Stories from Flip Side Of History by Steve Silverman

In Einstein's Refrigerator and Other Stories from Flip Side Of History,   High School teacher Steve Silverman (of Useless Information Homepage fame) shares more than thirty stories he has collected - true-to-life weird and bizarre stories.

Although the title carries Eintein's name and photo, the book is not full of scientific stories, in fact many of them are not.
                            

I enjoyed reading the book and at times found myself smiling over some of the stories that are so weird that they are what people usually describe as stranger than fiction.

Recommended for those who enjoy trivia and other nice to know facts.

About the author:
Steve Silverman teaches earth science, physics, and computer science at Chatham High School near Albany, N.Y. An inventor with more than 100 inventions to his credit, Steve also maintains a Web site, Useless Information (www.uselessinformation.org), has won numerous awards, including Yahoo's Site of the Week.

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Book Review: The Generosity Factor: Discover the Joy of Giving Your Time, Talent, and Treasure by Ken Blanchard and S.Truett Cathy

The Generosity Factor: Discover the Joy of Giving Your Time, Talent, and Treasure by Ken Blanchard and S.Truett Cathy is a very good read - one of the best books I had the opportunity to read and review.In fact, I finished the book in one sitting!

I chose the book because I recognized Blanchard as the author of the One Minute Manager(TM) series and Cathy as the founder of Chic-fil-A and was very curious as to what sort of book this collaboration could produce. I was in for a surprise!

What I like best about the book is that is is very masterfully written and by the end of the book, I am encouraged to take action. 

True to Balanchard's style, the book is in the form of a parable where we see the lessons through the eye of the main character. This approach is very effective with me as I am able to imagine how the story unfolds and how the lessons are being shared. Retention is better because of this and to reinforce retention, the authors uses an acronym the keeps the lessons together.

I was pleasantly surprised the as unbelievable as the one of the characters are, the real person from who it is based, Cathy, has far greater achievements.

Truly inspiring, makes you act on making the Generosity Factor a part of your life.

Highly recommended for everyone who thinks they are 'missing out' on something.

About the author:
Few people have influenced the day-to-day management of people and companies more than Ken Blanchard. A prominent, sought-after author, speaker, and business consultant, Dr. Blanchard is universally characterized by his friends, colleagues, and clients as one of the most insightful, powerful, and compassionate individuals in business today. Ken is one of the most influential leadership experts in the world and is respected for his years of groundbreaking work in the fields of leadership and management.

Dr. Ken Blanchard is the cofounder and Chief Spiritual Officer of The Ken Blanchard Companies, an international management training and consulting firm that he and his wife, Margie Blanchard, began in 1979 in San Diego, California. In addition to being a renowned speaker and consultant, Ken also spends time as a visiting lecturer at his alma mater, Cornell University, where he is a trustee emeritus of the Board of Trustees.

Ken has received many awards and honors for his contributions in the fields of management, leadership, and speaking. The National Speakers Association awarded him its highest honor, the "Council of Peers Award of Excellence." He was inducted into the HRD Hall of Fame by Training magazine and Lakewood Conferences, and he received the Golden Gavel Award from Toastmasters International. Ken also received The Thought Leadership Award for continued support of work-related learning and performance by ISA--The Association of Learning Providers. Ken has been inducted into Amazon's Hall of Fame as one of the top 25 best-selling authors of all time. The business school at Grand Canyon University bears his name. In addition, Ken teaches students in the Master of Science in Executive Leadership Program at the University of San Diego.

Born in New Jersey and raised in New York, Ken received a master's degree from Colgate University, and a bachelor's and PhD from Cornell University. An avid golfer, Ken belongs to the Loch Lomond Golf Club in Scotland.

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Book Review: The Principle of the Path: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be by Andy Stanley

The Principle of the Path is an easy-to-read guide on getting out of unsuccessful life patterns. I liked the way the author imparted lessons from his life taken from 'simple experiences' and relating them to the main principle that he writes about.Although he touches on the life of David and Solomon, he does it it a way that would not require anyone to open a Bible.

The book started with a good narrative although I found the introduction to the Principle a bit too wordy and at times taking the tone of something mystical. At times, I felt that Stanley took a lot of words to explain something simple but I think it is his way of saying that what he is saying is important and he is trying to explain it very carefully to drive his point.

I found Chapter 5 good and was worth the time that I spent reading the book. There is a lot of good points in that chapter and I think that if the rest of the book was like that chapter, I would have rated this book higher. But again, you have to read the first four chapters for chapter 5 to create the desired impact.

Overall, I found the book to be lengthy and at times discouraging as the author stressed about bad choices for  so long without offering any solution. I wish this book has a condensed form.

Recommended for those seeking a Christian self-help book that is not too heavy on Biblical references and has the time to read. Not recommended for those expecting something heavy or direct to the point.

About the author:

Andy Stanley serves as senior pastor of the campuses of North Point Ministries, including North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia; Buckhead Church in Atlanta, Georgia; and Browns Bridge Community Church in Cumming, Georgia. Each Sunday, more than twenty thousand attend one of these NPM campuses. Andy is the bestselling author of Visioneering, The Next Generation Leader, It Came from Within!, and How Good Is Good Enough? Andy and his wife, Sandra, have two sons and a daughter. Read more at Amazon's Andy Stanley Page 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Book Review: Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me: A Memoir. . . of Sorts by Ian Morgan Cron

Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me: A Memoir. . . of Sorts by Ian Morgan Cron is a very good read, one of the best books I had the opportunity to read and review.

I chose the book mostly because of its title and of my recent interest in material that tells about the lives of men in service. At one point I decided that the book should be titled Alcohol and Me but then I wouldn't think of reading it because it is not an interesting topic for me.

What I like best about the book is that is is very masterfully written and by the end of the book, I felt that I grew up with the writer. Memories from his childhood were described as if described by a child, vivid and exaggerated as a child would describe the experience.(The chapter on his first communion is so hilarious!)

As the memoir progress from childhood to adulthood, the writing style adapts to the writer's age at the time. Although this is a book on Christianity, it doesn't drown you in churchy language. Instead, the writing is honest and intimate and the writer opens up his life in areas that most would be ashamed to admit to.

I was able to see some of my own questions about life being answered. Questions as a child, even as an adult and father.  I could not forget the chapter that ended with the words, "Love stoops." God's grace described in two words! Some chapters in the book also have humorous anecdotes that carry a heavyweight lesson.

Truly amazing book and a gifted writer.

Highly recommended for men, but also for women.

About the author:
"Ian Morgan Cron writes with astonishing energy and freshness; his metaphors stick fast in the imagination. This is neither a simple memoir of hurt endured, nor a tidy story of reconciliation and resolution. It is - rather like Augustine's Confessions - a testimony to the unfinished business of grace."

- The Most Rev. Dr. Rowan Williams - The Archbishop of Canterbury

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: Google Power Search by Stephan Spencer

Google Power Search is a brief but direct book(let) on how to exploit Google's various search engine features. Although the things discussed in the first two chapters may be readily available in various blogs and forums, the contents of the rest of the book are very valuable. Some advanced and not-so-well-known features are also introduced.

I am glad to have found the book as the section on common operators help me immediately in avoiding frustration in looking for what I really want. Finding what I need on the first page of results rather than on the third page is really great.

Highly recommended for those who do a lot of searching on the internet, especially those who want to find them quickly.

About the author:
Stephan Spencer is an author of The Art of SEO published in October 2009 by O'Reilly and co-authored by Eric Enge, Rand Fishkin and Jessie Stricchiola.

Stephan is the founder of Netconcepts. Netconcepts started out as a web design and marketing agency, but over time morphed into a leading SEO firm. Stephan, and Netconcepts, had been heavy into the science of SEO since 1999.

Netconcepts was acquired in January 2010 by paid and organic search software/services agency Covario. Covario is one of those rare companies to have made it onto the Inc 500 list two years in a row -- in 2009 and again in 2010.

Stephan is the inventor of the automated pay-for-performance natural search technology platform GravityStream, now re-branded as Organic Search Optimizer.

He is a Senior Contributor to Practical Ecommerce and to MarketingProfs.com, and a columnist for Search Engine Land and Multichannel Merchant. He's also contributed to DM News, Catalog Age, Catalog Success, Building Online Business, Unlimited, and NZ Marketing magazine, among others.

Stephan is a frequent conference speaker on SEO and other online marketing topics for the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), American Marketing Association (AMA), Shop.org, Internet Retailer, SMX, IncisiveMedia (Search Engine Strategies), O'Reilly/TechWeb, PubCon, ECMOD, IQPC and IIR. His hundreds of speaking gigs have taken him around the globe -- everywhere from Berlin, London, Toronto, Santiago, and Auckland, to New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and places in between.

Stephan is an avid blogger. He blogs at Stephan Spencer's Scatterings, Natural Search Blog, Business Blog Consulting, Changes For Good, and Google, I Suggest... He's also been a contributor for the following group blogs: Searchlight (part of the CNET Blog Network), Shop.org Blog, and MarketingProfs Daily Fix.

Stephan is on the advisory board of CrowdGather.

He holds an M.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

[Disclaimer: I got this book for free as part of the Oreilly blogger review program I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."]

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Book Review: A Place Called Blessing: Where Hurting Ends and Love Begins by Dr. John Trent and Annette Smith

I decided to read A Place Called Blessing: Where Hurting Ends and Love Begins after I read The Blessing by John Trent and Gary Smalley. I was hoping that this would be a companion book or more like a fictionalization of the latter. I was in for a wonderful surprise!

The book is a wonderfully-written story of an orphan and his brothers and the journey that most orphan kids go through from one foster home to another and after they are 'released' when they have come of age.

I particularly like the plot overall and the honesty that is one every page. I have not only been reading a story about an orphaned boy and his journey into adulthood but it was as if I was looking at myself in a mirror with all the experiences I went through. Orphaned or not, every person has gone through experiences that would put us where the main character is and we make our own agreements with ourselves and begin looking at the world with colored lenses. 


The book is a short read and I am really glad to have read it.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a book with a strong spiritual message but does not read like a church material. Also recommended for those working or engaging with 'troubled' kids.

About the authors:
Dr. John Trent is president of StrongFamilies.com and founder of The Institute for the Blessing at Barclay College. John is a sought-after speaker and an award-winning author of more than twenty books, including six books for children. He has been a featured guest on numerous radio and television programs across the country and leads The Blessing Challenge, a joint partnership with Focus on the Family and StrongFamilies.com. John and his wife, Cindy, have been married for more than thirty years and have two grown daughters, Kari and Laura.


Annette Smith is a novelist, nurse, and a master storyteller. Her first book of short stories, The Whispers of Angels, sold more than 100,000 copies. Annette has written four additional volumes of original short stories, two parenting books, and five novels, all set in small towns. Her fourth novel, A Bigger Life, was named by Library Journal as one of the best novels of 2007 and was a finalist in the American Christian Fiction Book Awards.

A life-long Texan, Annette lives in Tyler, Texas with Randy, her husband of thirty-one years, and an affectionate, shaggy mutt named Wally. Annette has worked as a registered nurse in a variety of settings. Her current home-hospice position gives her a unique position in the lives of relative strangers, and she often finds herself bearing solitary witness to intimate, behind-the-scenes situations full of grace and meaning.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: The Blessing by John Trent and Gary Smalley

I found the book a very engaging read. The authors skillfully shares the five elements of Biblical blessing and how it applies in daily life. For most of us who might have felt that we have missed out on the blessing, the book has also provided hope on how to be able to receive the once elusive blessing.

One thing I particularly liked about the book is the way the authors masterfully weaved stories of real people - thereby making the principles more real. The authors have also shared their own experiences of missing out and receiving blessing.

As I was reading the book, there were moments of clarity and some tearful moments as I realized where some aspects of my life and those around me that were results of both experiences of receiving and not receiving the blessing.

Overall, the book has encouraged me to live out the principles and be intentional in blessing others.

Highly recommended for parents. Also recommended for those who feel that they have 'missed out' on something and would want to know how to be blessed.

About the authors:
Gary Smalley is one of he country's best-known authors and speakers on family relationships. He is the award-winning, best-selling author or coauthor of sixteen books, as well as several popular films and videos. The Blessing and The Two Sides of Love have won Gold Medallions, The Language of Love won the Angel Award as the best contribution to family life, and his other titles have received Silver Medallions. His national infomercial Hidden Keys to Loving Relationships has been viewed by television audiences all over the world. Gary and his wife, Norma, have been married for over thirty years and live in Branson, Missouri.

Dr. John Trent is the President of The Center for StrongFamilies and StrongFamilies.com (registered as a 501(c)(3) under the name of "Encouraging Words"). He is a nationally known speaker and award winning author. His recent books include the recently revised and updated million selling book, The Blessing, (An ECPA Gold Medallion Winner) The 2 Degree Difference, The Treasure Tree (a children's book that is also a Gold Medallion Winner)and Chasing Skinny Rabbits.

Dr. Trent released two... Read more at Amazon's John Trent Page 
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Book Review: The Waiting Place: Learning to Appreciate Life's Little Delays by Eileen Button

I found Eileen Button's The Waiting Place to be a very beautifully written collection of essays. At first, I thought that this would be a collection of essays that will show the beauty of 'waiting places' through light-hearted stories about waiting or perhaps something that would show me how to make better use of my time while waiting. I was expecting a formula similar to: I wanted something-I prayed about it-God says wait-I wait-God delivers.

Instead, I am presented with various experiences from her own life, from childhood to the present, when she was in a 'waiting place'. Although some stories are funny, most stories are very intimate. I have felt my heartstrings pulled a lot of times while reading this book and it got me thinking about similar waiting places in my life. I admit choking up at times when she narrates of experiences that I had experienced too.

The book is loosely arranged beginning with experiences from her childhood until the recent past. Although most of the essays are stand-alone, some bigger events called for more than one essay. While all the essays take place chronologically, there is a bigger waiting place behind it, which comes to an end at the last chapter.

Highly recommended to those who feel lost or those who just feel stuck in one of life's many waiting places.

About the author:
Eileen Button is a weekly columnist for The Flint Journal. Her commentaries have also appeared in multiple online and print publications, including Newsweek and Christianity Today. In addition, she is an adjunct professor of Communication at Mott Community College. She lives with her family in Davison, Michigan - a town where she is often stuck in waiting places such as doctors' offices, athletic fields, school auditoriums, and carpool loops. Regardless of the waiting place, she usually has a good book in one hand and a strong cup of coffee in the other.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: The Manga Guide to Relativity by Hideo Nitta, Masafumi Yamamoto and Keita Takatsu

Many years ago, when I was in Japan for business trips, I would often find myself hanging out in bookshops and browsing technical books. Not that I can read entire Japanese books, but I find them very informative with all the illustrations. Looking at illustrations alone and understanding the descriptions are sometimes enough for me.

When I found The Manga Guide to Relativity, my first reaction was that of skepticism. There is no way they can teach relativity thru Manga. Being a fan of Japanese animation, I gave it a try, just for entertainment value.

I was delightfully surprised that the topic of relativity was seamlessly integrated to a humorous story: Japanese humor + Japanese comic + science = a fun and informative read.

What I liked most about the book(comic book) is that it used simple examples to illustrate core principles in Relativity contrary to most Physics books in the market. But of course, not everything can be explained through Manga so there are a couple of pages that has more text but beautifully illustrated nevertheless.

How I wish this book was available when I was taking up my Physics subjects! I am looking forward to read more of the titles in the Manga Series:

The Manga Guide to Databases

The Manga Guide to the Universe

The Manga Guide to Physics

The Manga Guide to Calculus

The Manga Guide to Electricity

The Manga Guide to Statistics

The Manga Guide to Molecular Biology

The Manga Guide to Biochemistry

I highly recommend this book to Manga fans who might want to learn while being entertained the Manga way

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[Disclaimer: I got this book for free as part of the Oreilly blogger review program I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”]

Book Review: Daddy Dates: Four Daughters, One Clueless Dad, and His Quest to Win Their Hearts: The Road Map for Any Dad to Raise a Strong and Confident Daughter by Greg Wright

About a year ago, I read about a preacher who says, aside from his wife, he also sets weekly dating days for his kids. These days are non-negotiable and he arranges his activities around these scheduled dates. He says that these are opportunities to bond and also teach his kids about life. That’s all he said. No further details.

Then I found this book and I found it to be a refreshing read. It encourages dads to be creative in getting to know their daughters through having dates. Although this idea seems a little bit unconventional, the author presents his case by giving examples and experiences from his own life – being a dad to four daughters.

What I like most about the book is it always encourages the reader to take a look at each daughter as an individual – with different temperaments and preferences. This requires a lot of creativity and focus on the part of dads and also presents the opportunity for moms to help in too, in case dad is so clueless about each daughter.

Another plus point for me is how the author presents his experiences as is. He shares the experiences when everything went well as well as potential messes that any dad could go into. It cautions against dads expecting excellent responses to every date invitation or expectations of great relationships after a few dates. There is also a chapter devoted to dads who don’t live with their daughters, an unfortunate reality in many parts of the world.

I highly recommend this book to dads who have daughters.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: Gamestorming: A Playbook for Innovators, Rulebreakers, and Changemakers by Dave Gray, Sunni Brown and James Macanufo

The book presents the idea of approaching the brainstorming activity using games through collaborative play.

                                     

I enjoyed going over the book and found the games very useful, some of them entertaining as well. Approaching brainstorming in the form of a game is a new concept for me and it took quite a while to become open to the games presented.

One of the things that is very helpful is the good number of illustrations in the book the really helps the 'serious' brainstormer like me to appreciate the concepts being presented.

The games are presented in a manner that is straightforward and with just enough information  similar to what you would expect in playing board games.

One thing that stands out for me is the whole chapter devoted to the skills required in order to increase success in doing gamestorms.

I am looking forward to using the methods in my next brainstorming activity.

Recommended for those involved in generating ideas for almost anything like problems solving, marketing, etc.

About the authors:

Dave Gray is the Founder and Chairman of XPLANE, the visual thinking company. Founded in 1993, XPLANE has grown to be the world's leading consulting and design firm focused on information-driven communications. Dave's time is spent researching and writing on visual business, as well as speaking, coaching and delivering workshops to educators, corporate clients and the public. He is also a founding member of VizThink, an international community of Visual Thinkers.

 

Sunni Brown, M.P.A., is Owner of BrightSpot Info Design, a company specializing in visual thinking to support organizational and group success. Sunni was trained in graphic facilitation at The Grove Consultants International, a San Francisco-based company that pioneered the use of visuals in meetings and group processes. She is currently an Associate of The Grove, a freelance consultant for XPlane - the visual thinking company - and an Associate of Alphachimp Studios. She is also co-Founder of VizThink Austin, currently the largest visual thinking community in the United States. Sunni presents regularly on the topics of graphic facilitation, graphic recording and visual thinking. She is also a contributing researcher for Nancy Duarte's upcoming book on storytelling and presentations. Sunni holds Bachelor's degrees in Journalism and Linguistics and a Master's in Public Affairs from the Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs. She lives in Austin, TX.

 

James Macanufo: As a consultant at XPLANE, James helps large technology and government clients develop their vision, strategy and communication plans. He is actively obsessed with understanding what things are, the way they work, and why they matter. He is also an occasional inventor of card games.

Book review rating:

[Disclaimer: I got this book for free as part of the Oreilly blogger review program I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”]

Book Review: Max on Life: Answers and Inspiration for Today's Questions by Max Lucado

I have been a fan of Max for eight years and I have truly enjoyed every book he wrote. I have enjoyed his engaging narratives to every point he want to make.

Max on Life: Answers and Inspiration for Today's Questions, is a significant departure from his earlier works. Here, Max takes off his storyteller hat and wears his pastor's hat in order to answer some of life's most basic yet important questions.

In contrast to the vivid imagery in earlier books, Max answers the questions directly and briefly which is a great relief for those who want answers clear and quick without getting drowned in a list of scriptural references. This is very helpful for new believers and for those working with them.

I highly recommend this for new believers and for those involved in helping them grow deeper in faith.

About the author:
Lucado was born in 1955 in San Angelo, Texas, and raised in Andrews, Texas, the youngest of four children. His father was an Exxon oil field mechanic who, Lucado remembers, always smelled of grease cleaner. "It makes it easy for me to see a God who is loving and kind--because my dad was," he says. His mother was a nurse who grew up working in the cotton fields.

Lucado went through a period of rebellion against his parents' values and their God during his teens and into college. But it wasn't long before he found himself drawn back to his roots, back to God. He married, spent time serving as a missionary in Brazil, and returned to the States, where he began working as a church minister and writing on the side.

From all accounts, Max Lucado is not a man consumed by sales, awards, and achievements. He often turns down media interviews since they impede on family and ministry commitments. He spends the bulk of his week serving as senior minister at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. And he is truly surprised by his own success--more impressed by his one-in-a-million wife and three amazing daughters than by his successful writing career.

Book review rating:


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”