1 comments about Cigar Family: A 100 Year Journey in the Cigar Industry.

1. This is a great read for cigar aficionados! I was disappointed that there wasnt more to read!

3 comments about Turn Your Talents into Profits.

1. I should be more disappointed with this book than I am. It's helpful in its own way, but suggestions to seek out further details using suggested Prodigy & CompuServe keywords seem, to be polite, a little quaint, & the publication date of 1998 makes it fairly clear that this is an "updated" version of an older (self-published?) book. One suggested business, for instance, is to start a BBS, a phenomenon that pretty much had gone the way of the mastodon by then.

   The book is also lacking in serious instruction on how to run a business. Since this book is aimed at people who are enough adrift to need these ideas in the first place, the target audience probably needs more than a whirlwind 9-page overview of practical & critical business skills.

   If that's all there is, I would've struggled to give this book a bare 3 stars. However, the majority of the suggested 100+ microbusinesses aren't too bad. Keep in mind that many of them require some sort of preexisting skills; you probably don't want to leap into a mural-painting business if you have absolutely no sense of form or color, for instance.

   More important than the ideas themselves, though, is their range. If you read this book cover-to-cover, or even just flip through it & glean a few ideas that appeal to you, you will definitely be motivated to start concocting your own small-small business. It might be a variant of an idea from the authors, or wholly your own creation, but you'll have been bitten by the bug -- I guarantee it.

   And if you already have an idea, read it anyway! One of the most crushing weights to the entrepreneurial spirit is the feeling that you're the only one crazy enough to try. Reading this book will make you feel a little less lonely. With that to brace you, you'll be a little more encouraged to follow your dream in a sensible & ultimately rewarding manner.




2. If you've been dabbling in a home business or dreaming about starting one, this is a book you've got to have. Turn Your Talents Into Profits will inspire you and encourage you. It's easy to read, gives you lots of great ideas, and has an amazingly complete bibliography.



3. Turn Your Talents into Profits has been in the news quite a bit lately. It was featured on the Montel Williams show in late March, in the March issue of American Baby, and in the May 11th issue of Woman's Day. I think this book has been getting so much attention because it focuses on microbusinesses (very small, part-time, home-based businesses), and microbusinesses are the fastest-growing type of small business in America.

1 comments about Magna Cum Laude: How Frank Stronach Became Canada's Best-Paid Man.

1. In 1955, Frank Stronach arrives in Canada from his native Austria with little money in his pocket, but a world of dreams.
   
   From what was the opening of a machine shop two years later became a multi-billion dollar corporation in car-making and Thoroughbred racing. If there was ever a businessman who needed a biography done on his life, Stronach certainly goes to that winner's circle.
   
   Author Wayne Lilley utilizes his research and sources accumulated over the years as a business reporter to present the best public picture ever presented of Stronach and his businesses in this "unauthorized" biography.
   
   Stronach is known for keeping a very low profile and it certainly is within his purview not to cooperate with an author or any person in the media. But for Magna Cum Laude to be attacked by a company spokesman for inaccuracies is a bit disingenuous.
   
   For a reader who knows Stronach through his track ownership and Thoroughbred farms in the United States, the book may be just a bit premature. He has had recent successes with new tracks slated for construction in California and Pennsylvania & may be part of the ownership group to operate the Thoroughbred franchise in New York.
   
   But the "new" Gulfstream Park (Florida) took numerous hits from patrons and the slots plan has had to be scaled back due to a continuing adverse climate in state government. There are a list of tracks that are for sale - if only partially - and Stronach has had difficulty in maneuvering through the minefield that is politics at the local, state and federal levels.
   
   Many of these issues will be played out in 2007, hence additional material may be needed in a future edition. And if that is the case, I hope Stronach will find the time to sit down with Lilley to add even more punch to this excellent book.

No comments about William and Henry Walters, the Reticent Collectors.

5 comments about Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, Man of Two Worlds.

1. A thoroughyly enjoyable and authentic record of a part of our American history. A young man's mark on a part of our history that makes this record a deeply memorable one. History books haven't begun to tell the in-depth, detailed truth about what really happened. Don't miss it!



2. This informative and pleasurable read about Charbonneau, the much loved baby "Pomp" on the Corps of Discovery, puts a face on the man that went on to become successful throughout the charted but yet un-tamed West, in his own right. I feel as though I know so much more about this person due to Mr. Ritter's excellent research. Above all, as a novice history devotee, I appreciate the flow of the writing as it almost anticipates what your next question may have been about Charbonneau. The heavy handed, over-satiated blanket of scholarly approach would contrast greatly with the pure simplicity of this character, as he is portrayed.



3. I'm giving it five stars partly because I thought a couple of the other reviewers were unfair. Not everybody wants the super in-depth study of a subject. I liked the book precisely because it skips the minutia and focuses on the most interesting elements of the story. I also appreciated the author's effort to engage the reader in reasonable supposition about Baptiste's undocumented activities. More on Charbonneau's time in Germany would have been useful, but otherwise I thought this was a stimulating and entertaining read.



4. I was, at first, excited to see a "new" biography of Charbonneau. However, this is mostly a rehash of available information. I found too many errors in this book to sustain any excitement. Wrong dates and quotations without sources are only a few of the problems. I'll wait for the new book being publised by Arthur Clark and keep my fingers crossed.



5. This book is thin gruel indeed. It is double spaced and large type presumably to make it thicker. Illustrations are of poor printed quality and too small. The author covers little if any new ground and is given to much conjecture with little documentation or footnoting. Particularly thin are the Mormon Batallion and California periods given the ample documentation that exists on these periods. I have read everything serious that is published on Baptiste, and this adds nothing to what is already out there. The fact is, little historical material exists on Baptiste, not even a photograph, although his contemporaries (like Beckwourth) were photographed. I waited longer than normal for the book and finished with it in one sitting disappointed. The most honest and best documented appraisal of Charbonneau's life is the 2001 Journal of Oregon History article, "Sacajawea's Son: by Albert Furtwangler reprinted in 2004 by Oregon Historical Society Press and the 1933 Anne W Hafen biography.

5 comments about Jinsoo Succeeding in America The Jinsoo Way.

1. Finally, "Succeeding in America" is a book that teaches us all how to live and work in harmony. Jinsoo Terry's experiences coming to America are both humorous and poignant. She learned the hard way how to succeed in America so that we can learn from her experiences. The best part of this book is that you have a better understanding of human nature and that we all want the same thing: success, hope, love and understanding. The sooner we all read "Succeeding in America" the quicker we will all learn how to have fun working together. It's a great book for understanding that our cultural differences make us unique and special, especially "The Apple Story."



2. "Jinsoo: Succeeding in America The Jinsoo Way," is an uplifting true life story about one woman's fascinating journey to succeed in business and life despite challenges faced along the way. With a curiosity for people, and culture, and a love of travel, author Jinsoo Terry takes readers on an adventurous tour of her incredible business success by helping others dispel cultural barriers while emphasizing the importance of having fun along the way.
   
   After having received a masters degree in textile engineering from South Korea's Pusan National University, Terry's curiosity of people and culture led her to pursue a career in the United States. Although faced with many challenges, such as learning US customs and culture, Terry's tenacity to succeed in business paid off. Through communication, accepting cultural differences, and an open heart, Terry successfully established one of the most recognizable multicultural education and training services company that helps business executives navigate their way through US customs and culture.
   
   With her "can do" attitude and motivational affirmations, Jinsoo Terry's, "Jinsoo: Succeeding in America the Jinsoo Way," is a must read and teaches all of us that success in business and life, is much greater when balanced with having fun.



3. "Succeeding in America The Jinsoo Way" is a book that is way beyond educational. It is fun, inspirational, and makes the reader truly believe that if Jinsoo could do it, then you can too. It educates readers how to build their business, start a new career or excel in a career they have already started, be a good communicator, and work well with others - everything that you could possibly need in the business world today. I have read many books about succeeding in the business world and this book by Jinsoo Terry is by far the most entertaining and fun -- which is hard to find in business books today! I would recommend this book to not only people from other countries who are doing business in the US, but for people of all nationalities who want to learn more about themselves, what they are capable of in the business world, and how to make everything they do fun and inspiring.



4. Jinsoo is such a dynamic personality. She is able to motivate in a fun way. I recommend all her books!



5. Jinsoo Terry is an inspiration. As a rapper, CEO, author and now comic book creator, she has leaped bounds and reached for the stars. In her book, SUCCEEDING IN AMERICA- The Jinsoo Way, she offers people guidance for succeeding in corporate America while keeping it FUN. She shows you how to build your business, start a career, communicate well with others while sharing her own personal story.

No comments about The Master of Seventh Avenue: David Dubinsky and the American Labor Movement.

5 comments about Of Permanent Value: The Story of Warren Buffett, Abridged Edition.

1. First, I want to mention two constructive feedback about this book. One is that this book is probably only suitable for Warren Buffett fanatics/fans. For general investors interested about Berkshire Hathaway or how Warren Buffett invest, this is probably not the best book to read (as it has so much more info. i.e. more than 1000 pages). Second is that I have read this book more than once and I still don't know how the book is organized (the chapters aren't following chronological order, alphabetical nor topical order), therefore it is quite confusing to read as you progress from one chapter to another. Only after you read enough chapter (or completed the book) then you can put it all in the big picture in your head (from Warren's childhood till his current Berkshire days). Nonetheless, kudos to Andrew Kilpatrick for putting this book together. Moreover, once you know the limitation, this book is easily considered the best book about Warren Buffett in my opinion.
   
   Now about the content of the book. You will learn a lot about Warren Buffett and his life, and not only investing topic (investing decisions that he made throughout his career) but his life principles, family, and business in general as well. You will learn about his first job delivering papers when he was 13 (he filed income tax and deducted the bike as business cost), and how he build his first business (pinball machine business), created Buffett partnership, break it up (liquidate), acquire berkshire mills, creating Berkshire Hathaway as investment vehicle, and many other great investment decision/story that he made (Geico, See's Candies, Dairy Queen, General Re, Coca Cola, Salomon, Washington Post, Gillette etc)
   
   Buffett concrete rules for investing are:
   1. Never lose money
   2. Never forget rule #1
   
   I know it's easier said (what he say above about to never lose money) than done based on my 10 years of invesitng experience , but then again I'm no Warren Buffett.
   
   In my opinion, here are the 5 strategy/skills that Warren Buffett uses (Mr. Buffett, please correct me if I'm wrong):
   1. Intrinsic Value
   2. Margin of Safety
   3. Temperament (discipline and understanding Mr.Market)
   4. Circle of Competence (knowing what your circle of competence)
   5. Common Sense (which I think is the most important factor and encapsulate everything about Warren Buffett.)
   
   You will learn that Warren is very good with numbers (calculating in his head) and memorizing so many facts and numbers. You will also learn that Warren is a man with a very good sense of humor.
   
   There are so many things/chapters that I like on this book. Let me try to mention two of my favorite sections.
   
   One is when Warren need to make a decision who would run Salomon ($150B institution with 8000 employees) within 2 days during their first crisis. There are 12 top-level managers that he interviewed. "This was the most important hire of my life", said Warren to the Columbia business students. The chapter explain his thought process of this candidate selection in detail. Warren mentioned that the good news (for the students and the candidate) is that he didn't ask what their grades were (laughter). Warren also said, "Somebody once said that in looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence and energy. and if they don't have the first, the other two will kill you. if you think about it, it's true, if you hire somebody without integrity, you want them to be dumb and lazy" (laughter). And he conclude the topic with this statement which I think is very powerful: "Pick the kind of person to work for you that you want to marry your son or daughter. You won't go wrong". By the way, he picked Deryck Maughan by the way for his integrity.
   
   Another chapter that I really like is how Warren put the audience (of more than 2000 people) through Business School in an electrifying two minutes (The chapter about "Generics"). See how Warren answer the question of "Will developments in the generic brand area hurt coca-cola?" which is a very important questions. I'll try not to spill too much and take the joy of reading this chapter yourself but he basically explains in a nutshell (with all the details and numbers) how business and competition works (and using several other example like Gilette, Marlboro, Sam Cola etc) and how he convinced the audience (and me as a reader) that coca cola is considered immune to generics. He explains how one can save $500 for smoking generic brand (vs Marlboro) which is a lot of money. While a man will probably will only save $11 per year by not using Gilette Sensor and probably leave band-aids on his face and an uncomfotable experience for opting for generics/lower quality blades. And for coca cola, the net profit margin is only 1 cents per serving (can) while a lot of the ingredients cost (such as the aluminium close to 6 cents a can, sugar 1.3 ounce per can or 1.75 cents etc) the same regardless for coke or other cola company.
   
   I'll stop here before it's getting too long. In summary, If you are a Warren Buffett fans, then this book is for you. If you are uncertain, you can get other books first (potentially less thick book), like "Warren Buffet Way" or maybe "Buffettology", and if you like them (Warren) or want to know more about Warren then get this book. I personally don't like it in the beginning but as time goes by (and after I re-read the book/chapters), I changed my mind, this book is a masterpiece.
   
   As a Berkshire shareholder, I want to encourage all berkshire shareholders (and potential/future shareholders) to read this book to know more about the person in charge of your berkshire investment. I also want to encourage all shareholders to go to the annual shareholder meeting while Mr. Buffett is still in charge.
   
   Last but not least, if I have to sum this book up in a word or two, I would use the word "WISDOM" to describe this book, though I have a strong feeling that Warren will disagree with me and think that the more suitable phrase is "COMMON SENSE"



2. This is obviously the most comprehensive book ever written on the life of Warren Buffett, the undisputed world champion of investing. This is not a quick "How to invest" book, but if you are looking to learn as much as you possibly can about Warren Buffett and the cult of investors who make the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting a "Woodstock for Capitalists", this book is for you. As an added bonus, at over 1,400 pages you will be sure to have a functional doorstop when you have completed reading this monster.



3. I was attracted by the first edition of this book(in chinese). Really interesting.

   So I bought this latest version.




4. This is a great book that adds detailed research not included in Warren Buffett's annual reports for Berkshire Hathaway.

   Recommended highly!




5. Of Permanent Value: The Story Of Warren Buffett is a weighty tome will appeal to fans of financial wizard Warren Buffett, exploring his newfound popularity in wake of the latest stock market environment and exploring how Buffett began from scratch to form a business empire. Rises and falls blend with in-depth examinations of Buffett business philosophy and perspectives to pack in over 1400 pages of detail in a surprisingly lively read. Biography and business savvy makes for an intriguing blend, here.

2 comments about John Jacob Astor: Landlord of New York.

1. I am still plowing through this history of John Jacob Astor. I believe this was written in the '30's, and the language is very formal and hard to follow sometimes. Focuses a lot on Astor's trade practices and it gets really boring in the middle. The first chapter was the best and traced him from Germany to England and then to America. The author seems to have a slightly negative feeling towards his subject---calling him unimaginative and dull. I felt like I got the gist of his wealth in one chapter----the man got rich off of furs by forming a monopoly. It was interesting to know that the famous Astors became so rich and became leading members of New York society all because the original heir was a determined beaver trapper and tradesman.



2. A wonderful read which will teach you more than you ever learned in school about the post-Revolutionary War era. Since America is an economic story, NOT a political one, this book SHOULD be REQUIRED READING for all high schoolers to graduate.
   
   The west was settled via the lubricant of Astor's capital, his rapidly expanding fur-trading company. Given more power over America's military actions, Astor would have been able to guarantee America the entire west coast of North America-- leaving Canada with no border on the Pacific. The little US Government's folly in the War of 1812 destroys Astor's trading post in British Columbia, and the rest is history as they say. Ironic, considering Astor was one of the biggest US financer's of the War of 1812. Lesson is: governments don't dictate the outcomes of the world, but business leaders do.
   
   You will learn, Astor is first to capitalize on the Louisianna Purchase, and the first to take advantage of the vast findings of Lewis & Clark Expedition. Astor led the first trek by land to the west after Lewis & Clark, funded all by himself and much cheaper than the Government-funded expedition.
   
   Unfortunately, even though the book is titled "Landlord of New York", the book fails to document Astor's real estate investments in any detail. The book spends great detail on the fur trade, with many characters listed and not explained to the modern audience. This book needs to be re-written for modern audience, as most are not even familiar with Astor's only competitor for richest man of his era-- Stephen Girard of Philadelphia. Much more detail and research could be done, concerning Astor's real estate investments. It appears to me that the author, overwhelmed by the task, grew tired as he finished up the fur-trading expose. By the time the book gets to Real Estate, the author is probably clearly tired of his subject, and it shows. The stories of the fur-trade and Astor's early years are so good, however, that the book stills gets 5 stars.
   
   Overall, if not familiar with the importance of the fur trade in American history, you should read this book. Everyone should read it, for one is a better human for having read it.
   After reading it, you will realize how bad your history lessons were, focusing ENTIRELY too much on wars and politicians. The story of America is business, and in this book you will learn what made the world tick in the early 1800s.
   
   Next thing to read is a biography of Stephen Girard. The book to read right after these biographies, is The Robber Barons by Matthew Josephson-- a great overview of 2nd half of the 18th century in America.

1 comments about Master of Precision (Great Lakes Books Publication).

1. If you enjoy Automotive History and the underlined history of the true builders of this great industry you'll enjoy this book.
   The detail of the lives and sensitivity of the Lelands (father and son) and the team that they formed is remarkable. The precision that they mastered and required of their employees tells of the standards they held for themselves and what they produced is truly amazing.
   It also speaks of the less than fair business deals that Henry Ford had in buying a faltering Lincoln Motor Car company from the Lelands and their board members shows the ruthless nature of the early auto business.