5 comments about Rebel with a Cause : The Entrepreneur Who Created the University of Phoenix and the For-Profit Revolution in Higher Education.

1. John Sperling's story of his upbringing, and of his evolution into the Ceo of the University of Phoenix, the largest university in America, for-profit or otherwise, is a fascinating tale of struggle and perseverence. The bright-line antagonist in this saga is found in the intransigence and utter meanness of the entrenched academic establishment in California. Kay Henderson, the reigning head of the California post-secondary system, seems sent from central casting in this seeming story of good versus evil, and Henderson is one evil guy. He keeps coming back, like Freddy in the "Nightmare on Elm Street" or Jason of Friday the 13th fame, to visit continuing indignities on Sperling's efforts to make a college education for the over-25 adult learner more affordable, accessible and accountable.

   Sperling, who began his career at 53 years of age, is now a member of the Forbes 400-richest, and a true latecomer (and self-made man) to entreprenurial success,. Per usual, he exemplifies the adage that change only comes to an industry from the outside. And thus, he began on a shoe string and succeeded because academia, then and today, remains bloated with unnessessary costs while ignorant and unconcerned with the outcomes of its graduates.

   While the Univ of Phoenix has grown mightily, students at traditional colleges are going broke on ever higher tuition rates and concommitantly increasing student loans while professors continue to jack up their annual salaries and benefits far beyond the annual CPI index increases. Of note is that such increases have closely paralleled the explosion in Title-IV government loan appropriations to the point where state governments and the U.S. Congress are jointly searching for new ways to control these out-of-control expenditures.

   Sperling tells a story of life changing bifurcation's as good as any "cliff-hanging" tale of fiction. His narrow misses and perilous good fortunes culminate in a 30-year old company with a $12 billion dollar market-cap on NASDAQ and a growth rate surpassing that of almost any dot.com on the board. With no-debt and loads of cash Sperling's University of Phoenix is bringing the lie to the whiners who run establishmentarian academic institutions as they flail about attempting to defend their delusional and profligate ways.

   The new models of for-profit, post-secondary education such as those exemplified by Phoenix look alike Grantham University, a 4-year degree granting, low cost provider, all-online, 50-year old engineering and business school, will continue to follow in Phoenix's footsteps as the for-profit crowd ratchets up the pressure on the hollow reasoning of indifferent and out-of-touch academics who continue in charge of our nations non-profit institutions of higher learning.

   John Sperling is a hero to the working men and women of America and his story needs to be told near and far. Just as the sand pile of chaos theory begins to collapse when the slope becomes too steep, establishment academia has begun to feel the inevitable hand of self governing criticality in its non-linear system of business. Indeed, this phenomena can be found in all the cycles of history where continuing excess leads to collapse and renewal. Sperling is just the latest of magnificent catalysts to accelerate this process in this latest of instant cases.




2. If you are in your forties and have not yet been wildly successful, take heart. John Sperling, once an unhappy 52 year old Cambridge-educated history professor with $26,000 in savings, grew into an enormously successful entrepreneur. Now in his early 80s, Sperling is a billionaire, and heads the Apollo Group, a holding company whose main component is the University of Phoenix (UoP). UoP is revolutionizing access to business education for working adults in N. America and abroad. Rebel With a Cause is Sperling's personal memoir of his long struggle against the educational establishment to found and develop the for-profit UoP, transforming American education in the process. Sperling's background differs from that of many successful entrepreneurs. Born in a backwoods log cabin, Sperling started as a socialist and successful union organizer. Throughout his changing roles, the opportunistic, energetic, and apparently indefatigable Sperling thrived on adversity that would make most give up. In stolid but personal writing, Sperling reveals the details of the endless conflicts and triumphs, up to and including his new fights with the establishment over the legalization of marijuana. Still iconoclastic and entrepreneurial in his ninth decade of life, Sperling is now developing innovative new ventures including the Kronos age management clinics, and Seaphire, a project for developing aquaculture. Good reading for anyone facing adversity as they pursue their vision of something both worthwhile and potentially profitable.



3. This book is a bit puzzling. Looking at the title, you feel that the book is a biography of John Sperling. Reading the subtitle, you would think he is going to focus on the University of Phoenix and the growth of the Apollo Group. After reading the book cover to cover, I am not sure what the author wanted me to take away from this.

   Some parts of his life get rather detailed (like his childhood sickness and early schooling) and could be interesting. His tone makes me think of someone on a pulpit trying to get me to acknowledge his past. I would not question the effects of his past if he didn't fly through other parts of it (all the quick affairs/relationships/friendships) which he mentions. His son is part of his company, so I was puzzled to see that there was little mention of him.

   Given the sections that Sperling highlights for us, am I supposed to be awed by the rough start and many love affairs? Am I to be astounded by his success because of this?

   I personally liked the history of the University of Phoenix. He does go into great detail on the political and legal wrangling with the accrediting board. He touches on the help from some people, but will then mention later that the person no longer had the "fire" and was let go from the company. It sounds like the university is his quest and he will not let marriage or friendship get in the way.

   In the last sections of the book, Sperling talks about other projects he is passionate about. How did he decide to cover these? The Kronos Group took me by surprise. I saw no mention of this in the book until the very end. I have the feeling that the publishers were trying to make the book longer, so they just added some other thoughts in there. It does make for a very coherent picture of Sperling.

   I have listened to the author speak before and find him fascinating. Reading the book gives me a different picture of him altogether. Either way, I would recommend the book for readers wanting a background on the creation of the University of Phoenix. Even though this is by Sperling, I would not read this for a good understanding of him. I believe some objectivity would be necessary for that.




4. "Rebel With A Cause," by Dr. John G. Sperling, is part memoir, part social critique, and part business history. Though Sperling begins at the beginning - his birth in log cabin in the Missouri Ozarks in 1921 - he mainly focuses on his personal and profession battles over the past 20 years to build a university catering to the needs of working adults. The result of his efforts - the for-profit University of Phoenix - is now one of the largest accredited universities in the world, as well as the source of Sperling's considerable fortune.

   Speaking of which, Sperling must be one of the few people on the planet ever to make real money in education (he parlayed a $26,000 investment into a $4 billion company). This alone is a remarkable and significant achievement - not just for Sperling and his investors but for their thousands of customers as well. Yes, "customers" is how Sperling refers to UOP students; I can't help but recall that not once in my own Ivy League education did any administrator use the words "customer service" and "higher education" in the same sentence ("Donation" and "probation" were used frequently, but that's another story.)

   Sperling describes numerous obstacles on his long and winding road to "overnight success", including dastardly accreditation bureaucrats, disloyal employees; gratuitous FBI harassment, as well as the usual personal detritus of broken marriages, illnesses, etc. Perhaps the biggest potential hazards that Sperling had to overcome - "harness" is perhaps more precise - was his own penchant for risk-taking coupled with his low threshold of boredom. In fact, Sperling begins his tale by exhorting his readers "to strenuously avoid most of the behaviors that made me successful" - the very opposite of the message of most business books. Add "cautionary tale" to the list of Rebel's parts.

   Reading some of the other Amazon comments on Sperling's book, I can't help but wonder if we're all reading the same book, or - perhaps more to the point - if Sperling's critics have ever read another book by a businessman. I had to chuckle in particular at the knucklehead who chided Sperling for abandoning the general "theme of business books where ethics is very important and that it is important to support your fellow human being." I suppose there could be a new business book by the Dalai Lama, but most are written by self-promoting consultants pushing obvious insights and simple-minded formulas. Those few business authors who've actually founded or run large companies tend to produce highly-sanitized success-filled tomes completely devoid of the real carnage, cowardice and occasional brilliance of business.

   Though readers seeking mainly to learn the history of UOP as an educational and social phenomenon will not be disappointed, it's the arc of Sperling's life and the honesty with which he recounts it that impressed me most. To quote one of countless juicy examples: The day young Sperling's abusive father died, he "rolled in the grass squealing with delight." Now seriously, would Kenneth Blanchard have the guts to admit such a thing? With reference to the infidelities of one of his wives, Sperling writes, "I was too cowardly to bring her to heel and I lacked the needed sophistication not to care." This quote highlights the deep source of Rebel's appeal: at 79, Sperling is finally sophisticated enough (and rich enough) not to care what anyone thinks about him personally - which makes for engrossing prose (though his life does occasionally resemble a train wreck).

   In the last few chapters of Rebel, Sperling focuses on his current pet projects, which include health and longevity clinics, an aquatic agriculture company, an animal cloning venture and a very successful political campaign against the federal government's War on Drugs - a war that Sperling argues is already lost. The pride and hope of these chapters contrasts somewhat with the weariness with which he recounts his earlier struggles, and this contrast highlights what is ultimately so inspiring about "Rebel": This is the story of a man who simply never gives up - but instead keeps fighting, building, and leading.




5. Not the first to have grown up poor or the child of a lazy, abusive father, the difference in Sperling's story is that he acquired two things most do not: A desire to understand the economics of a world in which some go hungry while others do not, and a "nothing to lose" attitude that prevails throughout his life, both in his business dealings and personal relationships. Sperling survived his childhood, but it's not the Cambridge education, career in acadame, his years as a union leader, or the trail of broken relationships that draw the reader in. During his tenure at San Jose State, Sperling began to focus on a problem no one else wanted to bother with - the barriers to working adults who wanted to return to school. And so this is the real story - his unrelenting determination to create the University of Phoenix, a for-profit institution for working adults that is now the largest private university in the U.S. These chapters, sometimes a little heavy, leave the reader dumbfounded as to the lengths which his detractors will go to quash his efforts. (And isn't it funny? Most of the traditional universities in the country now copy his model for adult education.) Although at times it seems his determination grew as a result of so many wanting him to fail, it becomes obvious that his sole intent was not the pursuit of wealth. Yet wealthy, he became - albeit in his seventies! It was interesting to learn that contrary to the status quo, acquiring wealth was not the end of his story. Not only does he still play an active role in the continuing evolution of adult education, he's a proponent of drug law reform, and is investing in numerous other projects destined to change the world; seawater agriculture, anti-aging medicine, and the storage of pet DNA for future cloning. Does he hope to get rich from these ventures as well? You bet he does! Sperling makes no apologies for his "take-no-prisoners" attitude - he's learned something about economics today's nouveau rich will never get. You can only buy so many toys, but if you make money trying to make the world a better place, it gives you the ability to keep trying to make the world a better place. I highly recommend this book. This is a great story - honest, fast-paced, thought provoking. His story is certainly proof of the old addage that "winners never quit." With all Sperling has accomplished - and at 79, still hopes to accomplish -this is one book that motivates you to put down the remote, get up off the sofa, and start making a difference.

5 comments about The Super Affiliate Handbook: How I Made $436,797 in One Year Selling Other People's Stuff Online.

1. I read quite a few other reviews posted here before I decided to write one. I can't help but wonder if I got a different edition than some of the other reviewers. Mine is not the eBook. It is the published book - October 2007 edition.
   
   It is so poorly written, I had difficultly staying focused on the content because I found myself constantly trying to make sense out of typos or sentences that just did not make sense i.e., words mixed up and/or left out of the sentence. It was very distracting and irritating considering the price I paid for the book.
   
   The lack of proofreading was so disturbing to me, that I actually sent an email with my concern that she/they/whoever should know how bad it was. I did receive a reply back and I was told that they "already knew" and hoped to make changes in the new edition. Well, I HAD the "newest edition" (just two months old when I purchased it) and that was the edition I was referring to!
   
   Many of the links do not work either. The author will direct you to reference a site, but the link won't work. Sometimes, if you do a search with the web site name, you can find it and it will indicate she left out a word or position in the URL. This got very frustrating to me. I realize sometimes links change, but this happened much too often. It was due to lack of quality of proofreading and testing prior to publishing.
   
   The margins are inconsistent and all over the place. It just makes for too many distractions. Bottom line is, time was not taken to produce a quality product and it shows.
   
   I'm sure one can still learn information from this book but you can also learn elsewhere for a lot less. And there is NO WAY you will be able to become an affiliate marketer from reading this book as there are too many details left out. So don't plan on this teaching you how to begin to become an affiliate marketer. I don't believe the book is sold as an "instruction guide" but I just wanted to add that information as a heads-up.



2. I was trying to make sense of the Affiliate Marketing concept and it was very difficult to make sense of the tons of information available online on the topic.
   
   Rosalind takes you step by step and introduce new concepts on a clear and fun way. I read it from back to back and now use it as a reference book. If you want to learn what is Affiliate Marketting all about, this is the book.
   
   Another thing I really like is that the author invites you to action on every step with very specific instructions.



3. This was a great source of information. I am new to affiliate marketing and needed a product that could break it down for me in terms I could understand. This book did just that. I would definitely recommend to anyone who wants a good starting point for online marketing and affiliate sales.



4. Rosalind has built a solid foundation and is a successful affiliate marketer. However, reading this book probably won't help you follow her path. She covers so much ground. You won't know where to start.
   
   When she speaks, she's solid. She's a content affiliate. She writes her own content (in this case I would've enlisted help to organize and condense to make the content more useful). She gives great coaching and advice.
   
   She recently updated the book which was long overdue.
   
   If you're new and the tone is helpful and accessible but the sheer bulk of information could be overwhelming.



5. You're going to collapse!
   
   When you start reading this book, you won't be able to stop. And it's over 270 pages long! So unless you are a much faster reader than I am, you are going to fall over with exaustion before you can stop reading.
   
   Rosalind sells this book with the subtitle "How I made $436,797 in one year selling other people's stuff online" and I don't doubt it for a minute. The information she has included in this book is very detailed and there are so many ideas for how to get more traffic, better conversions, faster responses and so on that I just couldn't take it all in. I will be reading this book again after I've had some more time to try out the things I was able to take in.
   
   Peel back the cover and what do you see?
   
   There's a big focus on how to generate traffic to the products you are selling. After all, that's absolutely essential to selling anything. As a result, there is some duplicate content that you will find in other resources. For example, a lot of the content in Rosalind's book is also in John Reese's Traffic Secrets series which sells for about $1000 and I'll be reviewing soon, but the Super Affiliate Handbook is a whole lot cheaper and highly specific to affiliate programs. There is also some crossover into the AdWords world that Perry Marshall just plain Owns. But the focus is very strong on Affiliate Marketing and she does a good job of leaving the related topics like traffic generation and Pay Per Click advertising to the respective experts.
   
   Included in the guide are sections on "How to Research a Profitable Topic", "How to Find Merchants" , "How to Choose Products and Affiliate Programs" , "How to Plan and Build Websites That Sell" and some advice on writing good copy, providing quality content, maintaining credibility and staying organized in your business as it grows.
   
   In writing any review of a product or service, it's important to cover the up and down sides. But I'm honestly having a hard time coming up with anything negative to say about this handbook. She takes an honest approach to all of her marketing. Her business model revolves around adding value to the Internet in the form of real quality content, and not just cluttering it with junk. Overall she's a straight shooter with a very thorough guide on how to make a killing in affiliate marketing.
   
   Ok, I've scanned the book some more and come up with a few things to complain about -just for you.
   
   I'm really not that clueless.
   
   Initially, like most books, I skimmed over some big areas of this book. One of those areas was the "Setting Up Shop" chapter. She starts with "Basic Knowledge" and tells the us that we don't need HTML knowledge at the start and that it's good to learn Windows Macros like CTRL-C to make work faster. Then she says you need a computer and a Fast Internet Connection. Next we learn that we need a web browser. (This is getting too complicated for me. I should just get a refund for this book.)
   
   Ok, so she does give some nice links like where to get Firefox for those still stuck on IE and suggestions to use a router and where to get some good software like eudora and UltraEdit. But this chapter gives me the impression this book was written to be printed and sold to soccer moms at the school book sale. If you feel you already know how to use your computer and your Internet connection pretty well, I give you permission to skip this chapter too.
   
   Another thing I can say that's bad about this book is that most everything she recommends actually requires some significant work. Sure, there are some thing in there like using datafeeds from merchants to create your own website in less than an hour. But most of those things have lost a lot of effectiveness due exactly to how easy they are to do. Now everyone has a datafeed site. And it just sits there doing nothing because people would rather buy from the real store instead of your feed to it. The suggestions that she makes which actually return results will take some work.
   
   Stand back and watch the explosion. (Or hold the match with a big smile)
   
   This handbook was an important one for me to review early on. Affiliate Programs are the core of my marketing business, and a major force in Internet Marketing. And if you've been following the trends, one of the fastest growing segments of sales on the Internet have been in Information Products. In other words, people are buying more and more instantly deliverable information products online. They are beginning to trust eBooks and online courses. They are beginning to PREFER them over print because it's instant gratification. Even Amazon is running fast toward electronic delivery. And what's so great about this field is that the profits are very good. Electronic delivery has basically zero cost. And zero cost means low overhead.
   
   So, I'm not just going to leave this as a simple ho hum review. I'm going to TELL you that if you want to get into this area of marketing (and I think it's a darn good idea), you will save yourself a lot of wasted time, money and effort by getting this book as soon as you can. There might be some other books out there that will try to compete with this one, but they are going to have a tough time. Rosalind did an excellent job on this. I can't think of much that would improve on it. This is an example of something that will pay for itself many times over when you do what it says.
   
   People complain about the price. I agree, it's high. All "Get Rich Quick" guides worth anything are high priced. And yeah, you can find everything here for free on the net. But if your willing to spend some money buying an "expensive" book that will help you make a lot more money and feel that your time is more valuable than searching the net for the same information for free and having to sift and sort what actually works, then this book won't dissapoint.
   
   I don't get anything if you buy the book. The author doesn't even have a clue who I am. I just read it and loved it. Good Luck
   
   Buy it! (So much for my impartial review credibility ;-)

5 comments about Dossier: The Secret History of Armand Hammer.

1. There exists an unusually wide breadth of opinions about Armand Hammer -- he almost won the Nobel Peace Prize, and is revered by those who have benefited from his charitable endeavors, yet is excoriated by the political right. The latter group became particularly vocal in the United States around 2000, as Hammer's ties to Al Gore's father became fodder for talk-radio rumor mongering in that year's presidential election.
   
   Dossier is the only biography of Hammer to have had access to both the U.S. government's records on the man, made available under the Freedom of Information Act after he died, and Soviet records, made available after the collapse of the U.S.S.R. It is therefore the only book that comes close to explaining the nature of Hammer's ties to the Soviet Union. (In the early 1920s, he set up some companies that were used as channels by the Soviets for financing secret operations abroad).
   
   Unfortunately, Epstein was not satisfied with these records, and turns to some really marginal sources to sex up the story. The book contains a number of particularly shocking accusations that, if you follow through the footnotes, all come from a woman who claims to have been Hammer's mistress, decades ago. Take for example Epstein's rendition of the well-known 1920 conviction of Hammer's father for manslaughter. Hammer's father had performed an abortion after which the woman had died. Among those who testified at the trial were the woman's maid, who had been present when the operation took place. Every other source on Hammer treats this as the start of Hammer's business career -- with his father incarcerated, Hammer had to take the reins of the family business.
   
   Epstein, on the other hand, writes that it was the 21-year-old *Hammer himself* who had committed the abortion, not his father, and that he had allowed his father to go to jail for the crime. Epstein bases this remarkable claim on the 1990s recollection of a woman who claimed to have been Hammer's mistress in the 1950s, and who said that Hammer confessed to this crime (along with a string of other appalling things) to her. He ignores the fact that much more credible contemporary witnesses testified to the contrary.
   
   Repeatedly in the book, Epstein takes credit for "discovering" things that have been widely known for decades, and which are discussed in detail in previous Hammer biographies. Meanwhile, his discussion of Hammer's 70-year-long business career is cursory.
   
   If you do read the book, be sure to check the footnotes on any novel claim; some of the sources are really weak. See Weinberg's biography of Hammer for a much better treatment of everything except the early Soviet material.



2. This book is a biography about an american oil mogul:Armand Hammer.The author is a jew, as the biographed.
   If you read this book, you will see a true:marxism(leftism, eugenicism, environmentalism, feminism, etc.) is something for millionaries.
   Hammer got a fortune linking to former Soviet Union's interests.Then he went to oil business.Again he linked his oil business to Lybia, even to Khadafy money.
   Defects of this book are small.I don't believe ,that Al Gore had school's payment from Hammer.Another problem,of this book,is to forget that Hammer was a little linked to eugenics movement, at least until Hitler's time in 1933.These are small problems.This book is good.



3. Mr. Epstein places a great work on to the life of Armand Hammer. Many individuals wonder how such a man, whom was red flagged by the CIA, could remain connected to each and every Presidential administration and Kremlin since the days of Lenin. I was hoping for more information on their dealings with Robert Maxwell but it was only mentioned in brief. Hammer, like is father, presented to the public as immensely wealthy and powerful individuals, yet reality had dictated the opposite. Hammer, a man in quest for power, could have taken the time to do good things but instead he worked to expand not only his own personal image/power but to keep the secret line open to advance the Communist movement. I'd also recommend "The Perestroika Deception" - A. Golitsyn.



4. ~Dossier: The Secret History of Armand Hammer~ chronicles the life and despondent character of Armand Hammer. In his later life, Hammer invested great time and sizable resources to get a favorable authorized biography that portrayed himself as a generous, urbane and cultured philanthropist. Hammer no doubt would be dismayed by Epstein's account, though he never lived to see it. Epstein chronicles a different Armand Hammer. Epstein draws a picture of a power hungry man with an unscrupulous character. The real Armand Hammer led a life corrupted by avarice, adulterous sexual escapades and notoriously unscrupulous dealings with the Soviet Union and American politicians. Epstein by implication shows that Hammer may very well have been a Soviet agent. Hammer was in Bolshevik Russia while the revolutionary hadn't quite settled down. Hammer got a trade concession for a pencil factory that he operated in Moscow. While in the Soviet Union he moonlighted with Lenin and other Bolshevik revolutionaries. Hammer soon left Russia and supposedly almost went insolvent. His questionable business dealings in Europe perhaps as a launderer for Soviet enterprise to fund covert operations abroad would eventually gained the watchful eye of American authorities. Hammer got into art dealing and liquor distilling, but never lost his Soviet ties. He would eventually become the target of scrutiny by J. Edgar Hoover's FBI who took interest in his domestic and overseas machinations. While Hammer was the target of American counterintelligence, he ironically made use of his own intelligence clique especially later in life; he hired detectives, spies and former government agents to acquire information while manipulating business partners, competitors and politicians for personal gain. Hammer rose to fame as the Occidental Petroleum mogul and continued his shady dealings. Though, he tried to break into the market of the Seven Sisters oil cartel by getting an oil concession in Libya. His unscrupulous and devious dealings included bribery of foreign countries for trade concessions. Having lived a life of infamy, in his twilight years, the billionaire labored tediously to cultivate a favorable personal image. Hammer would have liked to have been remembered as a wealthy, cultured, humanitarian and religious Jew. Then Epstein came along to tell the real story.
   
   This secret history is a window into the world of Armand Hammer: Hammer was an unscrupulous man, disloyal to his country, who put greed and power above family and nation. Epstein's conclusion is almost irresistible, yet he is never so obvious enough to state it: Hammer was a selfish opportunist who should have spent a substantial part of his life in a federal penitentiary.



5. Biographer Epstein does a straightforward, almost journalistic description of the life and times of Armand Hammer, considered by many to be a man of vision, humanity, and charity until details of his life began to seep out following his death. Even the New York Times gave this man a glowing obituary. But, thanks to the tremendous research done by Epstein, we see Hammer for what he was: an evil, self-serving, egomanic. And Epstein's non-sensational telling of the details of Hammer's life is appropriate; it is unnecessary to augment beyond the notoriousness of Hammer's own actions. What Hammer did speaks for itself, and Epstein catalogues his many sins. He was a traitor to his country, his family, his friends. He was such a lowlife that he allowed his father to go to prison for crime he, the son, committed. He was a perpetual adulterer. He laundered millions of dollars and had secret accounts everywhere. He drove what most believed to be a successful company to the brink of bankruptcy. But I could have done without the incessant mini-flashbacks that kept creeping into the narration. And I think it was a really bad choice to begin the book with the prologue describing Hammer's final days. It would work much better at the end, as this failure of a human being tops himself while he is dying with malicious, coniving, and deceitful steps to preserve his false characterization upon his passing. I would strongly recommend that you read the prologue at the end of the book. I would also suggest that as you finish each chapter, you turn to the source notes for that chapter and be amazed by the research Epstein did to compile his facts. He paints Hammer as such a dispicable character, that you will be astounded that this character got away with his ruse for his entire life. In this day of rotten corporate big-business, the book shows the rot has been going on for decades.

4 comments about Endless Frontier: Vannevar Bush, Engineer of the American Century.

1. Zachary deserves great credit for writing a book that offers many virtues and lessons of lasting relevance. Because the author's commitment is worthy of his subject, this book should have timeless value. The roles for science and technology and how best to harness them for prosperity and for security to enable the preservation of peace are questions which transcend any particular time.
   
   The subtitle, Engineer of the American Century, is justified. Bush contributed to American society in many ways. He was a fecund, tireless inventor, helping launch Raytheon Corporation. He was dedicated to boosting the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and thereby strengthening society through teaching and seeking practical knowledge. He was a pioneer and convenor of advances in computing.
   
   Clear-mindedly appreciating the gathering evil of Nazi Germany, Bush decided to do something, as typical. He left MIT and got to Washington as head of the Carnegie Institution. Though a Republican, he persuaded President Franklin Roosevelt that those who were technically educated needed to be harnessed within a National Defense Research Committee, in service to their nation's needs. By helping harness the extraordinary abilities of civilian and academic technologists to serve their nation in meeting the challenges of World War II, Bush helped unleash a cornucopia of inventions and advances in thinking, with extraordinary economic legacies (computing, electronics, medicine, radar).
   
   A few words from Zachary:
   --Bush's "was a life not of looking back, but of charging ahead."
   --He had a "commitment to excellence and integrity that reinforced his belief in the power of one person to make a difference."
   --"Bush shared Eisenhower's unease about the alliance between academia, the military, and industry"
   --"The proliferation of nuclear weapons, the rise of environmental hazards, and the evident political partisanship of many scientists - all combined to engender a cynicism in the public about the aims and evidence of science."
   
   Several other books of possible interest in relation to the contributions of technologists:
   Philip Taubman, Secret Empire (2003)
   James Phinney Baxter, Scientists Against Time (1946)
   Biographies of Edwin Land
   James Killian, Sputniks, Scientists, and Eisenhower (1977). Killian was a 1950s Bush, down to earth and his book is movingly endowed with wisdom.



2. More than one person has written on this page that Vannevar Bush is "little known", "forgotten", etc. I am only 54 years old, but I remember seeing Bush's name in print many, many times while growing up. He was always described as crucial to American military and technological supremacy since 1943 or so. A few of his accomplishments: He mobilized American science and engineering during WWII. His leadership was crucial to the Manhattan project. His differential analyzer led to MIT's Lincoln Labs playing an important role in the rise of information technology. He was Claude Shannon's teacher.



3. This is a very well written and entertaining book about a scientific administrator who played a major effort in organizing the technical responses required to anticipate and successfully meet the challenges of WWII. His skillful analysis, technical comprehension and political astuteness not only provided outstanding leadership at the time but shaped the intractions of goverment, industry and the academic community in such a fashion as to remain intact to this time. One comes awawy with an enormous respect for Dr. Bush. He must have been one tough character and difficult to deal with but he got the jobs done. It is a pity that his battles with Admiral Ernest King have, to my knowledge, never been documented. The issues they disagreed about were not trivial and their interactions must have been awesome. I read this book shortly after completing Tycho's Island and the similarity between the two men and the administrative issues they dealt with is both striking and illuminating.

   Good men are hard to find and good books about them deserve our attention.




4. A very interesting and thorough biography of Vannevar Bush, who more than any other individual is responsible (for good or for ill) for the shape of today's scientific establishment. Well-written and engaging, with lots of interesting historical tidbits and good insight on the personalities involved. Excellent!

5 comments about King of Capital: Sandy Weill and the Making of Citigroup.

1. Citigroup is an amazing blend of financial services that has developed over the years into a fascinating company. This is the story of how it all came together from hard work to merges and acquisitions. The companies growth is truly amazing and this is one of the great stories in modern finance. For those who want to get a sense of where investment and banking is headed in the future this is a great starting point. It is written in plain enough language that you do not have to be a finance expert to understand it. If you are a finance expert you will see the possibilities that are occurring and understand what the ramifications of each move were on the industry as a whole. Very well written and just a great book in general.



2. This book has a particular appeal for two reasons: 1) Citigroup is the world's largest financial institution 2) it describes in some detail, the conflict between two storied CEO's - John Reed and Sandy Weill. Coming from the school of thought that says analyzing great business leaders may lead to my own success, I considered this book a must.
   
   As you should already know, Sandy Weill is the current the CEO of Citigroup and formerly the CEO of Travelers. His peer at Citibank was John Reed, who was subsequently ousted. The conflict between the two is in itself an interesting story. The book contrasts the two, by suggesting Weill is bottom-line-focused while Reed was a long range thinker focused on the future of the industry and implications of technology.
   
   There were a handful of interesting side stories, such as a Sandy's wife's psychiatrist using information gleaned from her treatment sessions to trade stock ahead of Citigroup activities. Others include Sandy's experiences at previous employers as he climbed the corporate ladder.
   
   In short, the book is entertaining. However, there are no amazing themes or profound ideas the reader can repurpose elsewhere.



3. I love and admire sandy weill.i purchased this book to learn more about the man and his deal making prowess.although this book was well research,its presentation was what turned me off.i have never read a book so disjointed and dull.it doesnt follow the conventional chronological sequence that most biographies does but skips back and forth from one event to another i.e 60's-to-the-80's-to-the-70's-to 60's again...this goes on and on and on.this can be very very very frustrating.Also i dont think the authors did a good job in capturing the readers since the paragraphs come and go in that fasion throughout the entire book!
   
   All who follow sandy weill's career knows his excellent ex-protege, jamie dimon.I would loved to learn more on Mr Dimon (curently President and COO of J.P Morgan Chase & Co) and i hope there will be a book on him in the future.
   
   All in all, sandy weill is one hell of a guy who has done tremendous things in the financial sector.but if you really want to read a book which is more entertaining (or way better) than this book,then you should read "Tearing Down the Walls:How Sandy Weill fought his way to the top of the financial world...and then nearly lost it all" by Monica Langley.The book by monica langley is way way better and enjoyable.You'll also learn more about Jamie Dimon!!
   
   In conclusion,dont buy this book but the one by Monica Langley.....



4. I liked the way Stone and Brewster broke the book into small, interesting chapters. It made for an easy read. I felt like I had a good sense of Weill's character and business style by the end of the book. The only criticism I would make is that the book seemed like an "authorized" biography in that it was overly flattering of Weill at times - like commending him for his restraint in only having three large mansions. Also, like all biographies written during the person life, there needs to be more chapters for events that take place after the book stops. In spite of that, I recommend the book to anyone who likes good biographies of business leaders.



5. I've just started reading this book and it is most certainly a good buy. The businesswoman in me loves Weill's ability to recognize value where others fail to see it (don't all the great ones have this unique characteristic?); the future wife in me admires his dedication, love and adoration of his spouse, a true confidante and partner in every sense of the word. I really enjoy reading about powerful men who are not afraid of telling the world how much of an intellectual and mental impact their wives are. More later....

2 comments about John Maynard Keynes: Fighting for Freedom, 1937-1946.

1. The last part of Robert Skidelsky's magnificent biography of J.M. Keynes is a tale about the fall of the British Empire with Keynes as one of its most clairvoyant and active go-betweens trying to avoid the disaster. Great-Britain had won the war but it was bankrupt, crushed by its debt contracted to buy US weapons.
   This book shows clearly through its analysis of the Bretton-Woods negotiations and the discussions about the conversion of British debt, that the ultimate goal of the US Administration was to get Great-Britain on its knees and to take its place as world leader.
   The US preferred an alliance with te Soviet Union against Britain. Their most important negotiator H.D. White was a convinced Soviet spy.
   Keynes defended exhaustingly Britain's role in world matters by begging time for a reconversion of the British industry from a war to a civilian economy and for safeguarding its Commomwealth with its preferential tariff and pound sterling payment system.
   The humiliatig conditions for its debt conversion imposed by the US would cripple the British economy for years. The suicidal internecine European wars created a new world hegemon: the US.
   
   Before the war, Keynes defended his 'Treatise' policies, but saw them applied in Germany by a very clever economist, Hjalmar Schacht, who also saved the German economy internationally by creating a bilateral trade system.
   Prof. Skidelsky shows us also pregnantly the deterioration of Keynes's physical condition, aggravated by his exhausting travels, difficult (empty handed) negotiations and even hard opposition at home when he was in the US.
   
   One could perhaps slightly criticize the exhaustive excerpts of letters or the extremely detailed evolution of the negotiations in Bretton-Woods or about British debt relief. But, all in all, this is a fascinating read.



2. There was a time when John Maynard Keynes was not the most famous living economist. Then he was. Then, after he died, he seemed to be more useful than Karl Marx to anyone who was interested in how modern economies actually operate in the best times, when statistics actually reflect the level of some real activities. Two earlier biographies by Robert Skidelsky cover the years in which Keynes gained in stature and wrote his General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money (1936), described by Joseph Schumpeter as "the dying voice of the bourgeois crying in the wilderness for the profits it dare not fight for." (FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM 1937-1946, p. 4). This final volume starts with the problems with his heart that, after ten years of making Keynes an invalid, deprived the world of his advice at a time when situations continued to change at a pace which needed someone to keep applying different aspects of the General Theory in time to keep most elements of society from feeling that they were being swindled. He never had enough power to make a miraculous demonstration of anything, but the spread of American wealth after World War Two made many professionals think that it was possible, if not already proved, that happy days could keep reappearing here again far more optimistically than Joseph Schumpeter's dour statement.

   Economics has become a science which is widely taught at a college level. Robert Skidelsky seems comfortable with writing about the political struggles involved, the nature of intellectual controversies in the field, and he is generous in his comments about Friedrich von Hayek, author of THE ROAD TO SERFDOM, and Milton Friedman, who emphasized other aspects of political economy. The years 1937-1946 had major problems of their own, and there is far more attention in FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM paid to the people that Keynes had contact with and responsibilities to. The Preface to the American Edition is dated 6 October, 2001. Already the author was prepared to apply a lesson of this book to our life and times:

   "To be reminded of the realities of alliance politics, even in the case of such close partners as Britain and the United States, is timely in the aftermath of the tragic events of 11 September, when the United States is working to construct a global coalition against terrorism. In 1940, it was British vulnerability which threw it into the arms of the United States. America did not fail its fellow-democracy; but also used the occasion to settle old scores, and secure pole position in the post-war international order." (p. xv).

   A major episode in this book recounts how an economic genius approaches the United States of America on behalf of a bankrupt country at the end of a big war to get debts pushed far enough into the future to be able to convince himself `If we don't make it by then, we're sunk anyway,' only to be asked why he didn't bring along the trade representatives. Countries which did not get involved in the current endless war might have leaders who read the British edition, which was published in 2000. Even at the beginning of this book, Keynes thought a government was foolish to commit itself to a war before the overwhelming mass of its people were convinced that the war was absolutely necessary, even after he felt that the Munich Agreement had been a pathetic trick.

   This book describes Keynes as being conservative, and the picture it paints of his legacy continues the tradition of maintaining a bias in favor of economic stability. The Truman-Eisenhower years had a durable mix. "Setting tax rates to achieve an employment target consistent with a low rate of inflation was properly Keynesian; . . . It was to keep inflation under control by methods which did not bring about the collapse of the secular boom." (p. 505).

   "However, U.S. fiscal restraint broke down in the 1960s. In 1962, the second-generation Keynesian economists who came in to office with President Kennedy were convinced that the long-predicted slump was at hand. A further stimulus to action was the quite unwarranted fear that the Soviet Union would win the Cold War economically and politically, without any need for a hot war. So the scene was set for the big Kennedy-Johnson tax cuts and `Great Society' programmes." (p. 505).

   Economists might be familiar with the description of what followed, but the attempt to maintain a coherent theory is admirable when we get to: "Friedman's own attacks were launched from within Keynes's own macroeconomic citadel, but, by ruthlessly applying the maximizing logic to individual behavior, he gave two of the Keynesian `functions' -- the consumption function and the demand for money function -- properties of stability which they had lacked in their Keynesian form." (p. 506).

   The picture of the doctor responsible for treating Keynes's heart, James Plesch, is labeled "the doctor who brought JMK `back to life', and whom he called `the Ogre'." (facing page 166). This is a typically British nickname for a Jewish Hungarian who left Germany in 1933 and settled in England. (p. 40). The author and I suspect that he was more thorough than British doctors. "There is no reason to doubt Keynes's own view that it was Prontosil which had brought about his dramatic improvement. Unfortunately, it was subsequently discovered that Prontosil was effective against the green streptococci lodged in the throat but not against those already firmly established in the valves of his heart." (p. 43). He lived through World War Two. He was losing money in the stock market before the war, as some people must have realized that weird things were about to happen to the economy. Keynes died before some of the big changes that were afoot. The American dream in this book: "Henry Wallace, who had fallen asleep, woke up to ask why Britain could not trade Indian independence for a write-down of Indian debt." (p. 414).

5 comments about I'm Living Your Dream Life: The Story of a Northwoods Resort Owner.

1. Michele Cozzen's book I'm Living Your Dream Life: The Story of a Northwoods Resort Owner reveals the grit, grime, and behind the scenes goo (stains on blankets) waiting for anyone daring enough to entertain thoughts of opening a charming little resort far away from it all. When Cozzens and her spirited husband Mike chuck a perfectly lovely suburban California life to open a lakeside resort in a remote area of Wisconsin, she enters a new phase of her life. She learns to wear a tool belt, scrub toilets, smile at demanding tourists, cope with a barrage of stupid questions, deal with insane lawsuits, rake a beach, and change sheets in world record time. While coping with these less-than glamorous activities, she raises her two spunky daughters, keeps her marriage healthy, and takes in an occasional glorious sunrise from the dock of her resort--early enough in the day to avoid being pestered by any of her holiday-happy guests.
   
   This book deals with the major theme of most modern women's lives--how to balance a career with children--without being preachy or bitchy about the tight-wire most of us walk while combining a career with motherhood. In her own peculiar scenario, Cozzens never finds the answer, but she keeps searching for the silver lining in her log-cabin reality. Cozzen's endearing optimism and obvious love for family and business kept me glued to her story.
   
   Michele Cozzens tells the truth about her life and the decisions she has made. Her writing gushes in emotional spurts that left me reflecting on my own career choices, my personal attempts at having it all, my guilt over not always getting it right. Because of Cozzen's memoir, I understand a little more about myself. Highly recommended, even if you're not in the toilet-scrubbing sheet-changing business. I'm considering buying a tool-belt.
   
   Robin Meloy Goldsby is the author of Piano Girl: A Memoir and the solo pianist featured on Twilight and Songs from the Castle



2. 5 years living expenses saved and no profit for over 7 years...Should be titled yuppies buy a resort.



3. Excellent work. A must read for every wannabe resort owner. I wish every occupation had such helpful inside tips as this.



4. I was drawn to this book orginally because of my love of disc golf and I was intrigued about a published book that not only was written by a fellow golfer but also featured the sport. However, I learned the book was more about running a resort than the sport of disc golf but I also learned that the book was well-written and tells a wonderful story. I also learned I will probably never run my own business but also appreciate the owner of my company (a small family business) more now.
   
   Mrs. Cozzens story is hard to put down and will be a favortie of anyone who enjoys a good story of any genre. It moves briskly along and you begin to feel like one of the family. As an ironic twist this book would be perfect for reading on the Sandy Point Beach during your week's stay in one of the cabins.
   
   Mrs. Cozzens, if you read this review, I ask you to please find time to write another book (If you already have I apologize but please tell me what the title is) and tell all of us more about life at Sandy Point and Tuscon, or maybe you can write the book which truly does justice to the disc golf world and makes that world more accessible to everyone.



5. My husband and I are thinking of owning a B&B. Making the move from private practice as a holistic practitioner and a product creator/manufacturer for my website [...], I wanted to get someone's firsthand experience at dealing with the public when that public-on-your-property and no-privacy is your source of income. Michele's story is wonderful, insightful, amusing, and a quick-read. We live in Wisconsin so we are fully aware of the hardships of winter and of living in the northwoods, but we are also aware of the beauty of nature. Whereas this really didn't address my questions about B&B ownership in specific, it gave me insight as to employee issues and the liberties that customers take. It certainly gave me fodder for thought and more study before we venture forward. It's a great read!

5 comments about Disney.

1. Catch up on your knowledge, or review what you know. Fun series of all that's Disney.



2. This 213 page book is just full of an endless supply of full color photos of everything Disney for the past 100 years. You'll learn all about Walt's early life and how his ideas created worldwide Disney worlds. Each chapter covers a decade from 1901 to 2001 !! Many of these pictures are archival and never made available before. The book provides many memories for "children" of all ages. It's a keeper. Enjoy !



3. This is a great book about Disney Company. It goes chronologically from 1901 to 1999 and beyond. Every event in the company's history is put in the book, but without much detail.
   Since he maintains Disney Archives, Dave Smith could have done a litle better, like he did with Disney's Encyclopedia.



4. This book was excellent! It had terrific pictures and it told from 1901 when Walt was born until 2001. It is a great keepsake. I purchased mine at Walt Disney World during the 100 Years of Magic celebration.



5. I really enjoyed this book. It is packed with lots of great photographs and artwork from Walt Disney and the Disney Company. It also has a really nice overview of the life of Walt Disney and the work of the Disney Company in text.

   I appreciated the organization of the book. The book is arranged chronologically, which helped me to understand the flow of events better. This book has a very upbeat, positive tone and paints a very bright and exciting future for the Disney Company.

   This book does not contain nearly as much information about Walt Disney as some of the biographies that I have read, but I don't think that was the goal of this book. This book does a very nice job of chronicling the art and the work of this great American icon and then continues the chronology with the work of the Disney Company in the post Walt era.

   This book starts with very early Disney and takes the reader all the way through to Fantasia 2000. This is an excellent coffee table book. I highly recommended it to anyone that loves Walt, his work and the continuing work of the Disney Company.

No comments about Spiritual Investments: Wall Street Wisdom from the Career of Sir John Templeton.

5 comments about Contractor Combatants: Tales of an Imbedded Capitalist.

1. This book is told from the first person perspective of a true American hero. It is action packed with gun battles on the streets of Iraq, in-fighting amongst the locals, and the struggle to run a profitable business while staying alive in the most dangerous place on Earth.
   
   Once I started reading, I could not put the book down. Andress provides incredible insight into the challenges that Americans and Iraqis face in the struggle for a free and democratic Iraq. It describes how Americans and Iraqis are risking their lives together in an effort to rebuild a free and safe Iraq.
   
   After reading this book, I have much clearer insight into the Iraq situation. This book should be mandatory reading for all military officers, politicians, and critics, and supporters of the Iraq war.



2. I have just finished this great book written by a very courageous man that is the very epitome of what Americans used to be; big-hearted can-do men of adventure that seize the day and change the world for the better. It is a gripping account of this former US Army Ranger officer's experience running a logistics and security company in Iraq helping with the building and supply of bases for US and Iraqi forces, and the rebuilding of the Iraqi infrastructure. (He was an officer with the Army Rangers.) He lived outside the "Green Zone" with an ad hoc bunch of special forces guys from US Special Forces to Gurkas and Russian Spetnaz with a supporting cast of Iraqis willing to risk their lives and be real heros while most of the other contractors were hiding behind the US military. I just finished it and I have to say I'm most impressed.
   
   This is a first-hand account of what it is really like over there and not a bunch of second-hand stories from someone hiding in a hotel in the Green Zone, like the other books about Iraq. It is truly a must read for anyone who wants to know what is really going on over there, and the story of the brave men who are building a democratic future for Iraq. See his video on youtube by searching for his name.



3. The liberal press has attempted to submarine progress in Iraq, just like it did in Vietnam. The Carter Andress book tells it like it is. Contractor's play a vital role in the security of the key players in fostering Iraqi democracy, and Andress see's the big picture in this book. This is a great read, but not for those lacking the determination to see this thing through.



4. First, I agree with that said by the first Reviewer, especially about Andress' perspective differing from the "2-3 day visits to Iraq" making those people experts! Andress has lived the Iraqi experience. His work and that of his company puts them in a unique position to KNOW how the majority of Iraquis fell about the US. His efforts make it possible for us to make the progress needed to make the Iraqui people self-sufficient.
   Only then should we think of leaving this country!
   
   Contrary to the media portrait being painted of Contractors in Iraq, i.e. Blackwater, these men are enabling our "experts" to accomplish their tasks without being killed! Obviously the insurgents will try to kill them at every opportunity! Kill the Guards and the Bad Guys will have their way with the people....and our troops!
   
   For a first-hand look at how Iraquis and Americans are working together read this book!



5. Fired UP! If you ever get the chance to meet Carter Andress he will undoubtedly end his conversation with this phrase. Simply put, the man is "fired up" about life. Contractor Combatant tells the story of his real life account of living and working in the RED ZONE along side his Iraqi brothers (Sunni, Shiite, and Kurds alike) and reflects not only his passion for these people, but his deep desire to help them gain their freedom. Trying to start and run a successful business is challenging enough in a peaceful environment. Doing in the midst of the chaos and confusion that is Iraq presents a unique set of challenges that is not for everyone. It takes leadership, courage and lots of tenacity and determination. His company's success could not have been achieved without a willingness to open his heart and trust to the local people. If you are tired listening to the perspective of people that come into this country, spend two or three days in the Green Zone and return home as a subject matter experts, this book offers an entirely new and refreshing perspective that just might change the way you think about war. Get the story from someone who lived it on the front lines. From exposing fraud in the contracting system to feeding the Iraqi Army during the second battle for Falluja, Carter tells his story with passion, grit and honesty. The book is fast paced, entertaining, and well written. It also offers, in the last chapter, an interesting academic perspective on Iraq and US involvement. After reading it you might just feel "Fired UP" too.