Book Description
Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel are two of today's biggest cult television show hits. This unique guide to both shows examines a variety of the complex ways in which Buffy and its spin-off series Angel have won the hearts of its target audience and the minds of intellectual commentators. The book provides a short episode guide to all five seasons of Buffy and the first two seasons of Angel, as well as an intriguing look at how the shows are written based on interviews with the shows' principal writers.
Customer Reviews:
An uneven effort.......2006-08-21
Although I generally like everything to do with Buffy, this group of essays had to be taken as a group and given a mean average of stars - some very good, some were OK, some mediocre and some WAY too pretentious. Let's examine them:
She Saved the World. A Lot: Supposedly examines the themes and structures of Buffy and Angel. Actually shows the author of the essay to be overly obsessed with unlikely sexual overtones between characters that simply don't make sense (Forrest and Riley?? I don't think so). Sometimes, Ms. Kaveney, a cigar is just a cigar. 2 stars
Entropy as Demon: This is sort of a rambling bit comparing the ennui of S. Cal people about earthquakes to the fact that many of the people in the Buffyverse don't notice the supernatural around them, or if they do, they become somewhat inured to it. WAY too pretentious. 3 stars
Vampire Dialectics: The first of many that compare the group dynamics in Buffy to communism and the uprising of the proletariat. To prove this, they point out the scene in "Anne" where Buffy uses that nifty scythe thing and the hammer to fight the demon, saying it represcents the sickle and hammer. PRETENTIOUS!! 3 stars
Laugh, Spawn of Hell, Laugh!: Ah, a breath of fresh air. An essay about the humor of the show, written in an accessible style without resorting to a condescending or low-brow style, that is unpretentious and interesting. Kudos to Steve Wilson. And hey, one of the few essayists that actually gets all the quotes right! 5 stars
It Wasn't Our World Anymore, They Made it Theirs: Examines the "places" in Buffy - not only the locations, but the sets and usages of sets, spaces, sounds and acting. This one swung back and forth between readable and pretentious. 4 stars
What You Are, What's to Come: Examines the growth of the characters from a slightly feminist perspective. The only problem is that this essayist, like another to come, used religious metaphors and anyone who knows anything about the show and Joss knows that he holds nothing but contempt for organized religion and is a confirmed atheist. Therefore, she loses a star because she doesn't truly understand the subtext of the show he is trying to create. 4 stars
Just a Girl: Looks at the show from an Uber-Feminist perspective - criticizes aspects of the show that the writer obviously didn't take the time to understand. I'm probably just biased; I liked Season 4 and just because the writer didn't like Adam doesn't mean that he was a poor Big Bad. Also, to nit-pick, the writer makes much about Buffy never wearing the same clothing twice, but several times I have picked up on her wearing the same pants, for example. So, I have to conclude that the writer really isn't a full-time viewer and just watched a few episodes and wrote the essay, trying to be a cool feminist by watching. 3 stars
Concentrate on the Kicking Movie: Using the concept of the Samuri, Ronin and various martial arts movies to understand more about the character of the Slayer and destiny. I didn't understand a lot of this, as I don't tend to be a fan of martial arts movies. However, when the writer criticized Gellar for not doing her own stunts, that got my back up - TV actors are often prohibited from doing their own stunts by their agents and contracts. The writer, on the other hand, was very admiring because Kristie Swanson, who played Buffy in the movie, did her own stunts - but movies have different rules for their actors, since they are not a weekly thing and therefore if an actor is injured, they don't have to worry about being on the set again the next week. However, I suspect this was probably a fairly decent essay. 4 stars
Staking a Claim: This was about the series' "slash" fan fiction, which is apparently fan-fic that is written about loving or erotic relationships between characters, particularly two males, but more commonly now two females. While I personally am not particularly interested in reading about, say, Spike and Xander's exploits in Xander's basement, apparently this is getting to be quite a popular pass-time on the Internet. Fairly well-written essay explaning the needs of the fans to deepen or continue the stories and create further in the Buffyverse. 5 stars
They Always Mistake me for the Character I Play: Explores the development of the characters in the Buffyverse. This essay is uneven - parts of it are quite good, while others are horrible. For one thing, every single quote this guy puts in is wrong to some degree - for crying out loud, there are script books out there! Here is another essayist who is critical of Season 4, saying that we never get to see the Big Bads actually DO anything, we only hear about or see what they have done after the fact. He also talks about themes of Judeo-Christian redemption, which is so off the mark (see remarks earlier). However, he has brilliant descriptions and analysis of the development progression of the main characters, and even some of the minor ones. 3.5 stars
The book is finished off by a micro-episode guide, including a side-by-side guide to Angel seasons 1 & 2 by Buffy seasons 4 & 5, which is really neat, as you can see where and how they interact. However, episode descriptions are VERY bare-bone - just a sentence or two.
Not what I thought it would be.......2006-01-12
Reading the Vampire Slayer, an Unofficial Critical Companion to Buffy and Angel consists of ten essays covering the varying aspects of both shows. Because of the date when it was written, this volume suffers from the fact that it's dated. The book covers up to season five in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and season two in Angel. Because of this, many of the assumptions and assertions made in this volume are slightly misdirected.
While I thought this volume read better than others, I still wasn't impressed. While I thought the paper on martial arts movies interesting, and the slash topic fascinating, I really felt most of the book could have benefited from some tightening and reading aloud. I found the prose droning, and my eyes wandering the page. A die-hard fan of Buffy, not even the subject matter - one of my favorite television programs - could hold my interest. No, it was only the last few essays that I found interesting.
On a fan level there is so much information, discussion, and speculation about the entire Buffy/Angel universe, that many much better articles have been written by fans and posted online or in various forums. I would advise searching them out, and leave this book only if you're looking for something that reads more like a college textbook.
The Bible Book for BTVS.......2004-04-27
It is true that this does not contain any new information for Buffy the Vampire Slayer. However, that really isn't the point of the book.
This is more of a references book for any one who wanted to know any thing ( and probably more then you needed to know,) about Buffy.
It is very well organized and easy to read, and understand.
In the very first chapter you learn who the key players are ( ie, Buffy, Willow, Xander, Giles, and etc...) As well as pass relationships and family units.
The book also has a full episode guide through season one to seven. Short description of each episode and it also does this for Angel.
There are also some side notes on script format and tie in notes for ideas for the show.
A helping book for any one who is just getting interested in Buffy, or for one who has been, a lone time fan.
Must have if you like talking and thinking..........2004-01-07
I can't begin to describe what it was like to get this as a Christmas present a couple of years ago. As a confirmed Buffy addict and a modern lit major, there were times where the "watch Buffy" parties lasted much longer than my friends could stand because I wanted to TALK ABOUT THE SHOW. Finally here was a volume of people who were just like me - well, maybe better educated and clear spoken, but you get the idea.
If you're new to a show that's was on the air for 7 or so seasons, and like a little light theory, I'd advocate getting this book simply to put in perspective what all of those crazies are talking about. While every essay may not strike a chord, some of them will begin the painful process of explaining just why there are a number of fanatics out there who will watch this silly main character fulfill improbably plot lines till the very end. Read She saved the world. A lot. - An introduction to the themes and structures of Buffy and Angel. Don't skip it. It's the most important one for you.
And for those of you who loved the show in the good old days but can't watch it past season three (because that's when it started to get bad), there's plenty of material here for you as well. Most of the discussions center around the early years - with good reason. That's when the identity of the show was forming itself and so many of the characteristics that make it so exciting were created. And they do talk about them, with abandon.
Then for everyone who's like me, and watched the show till the bitter end, not just because you didn't have anything else to do on Tuesday nights, but because the characters (even when they were developed badly) and the sequences (even when they become overly dramatic) still had an almost inexpressible draw - you'll love this book because it whets your appetite for more. Each essay will call up just as many memories of watching the show as it does ask some of those questions your non-lit friends just don't want to entertain (or your het friends just don't want to discuss - see Staking a Claim #9).
But in a very real sense, these essays seem like introductions to topics that can be discussed at greater length. Maybe it's simply wishful thinking on my part, but I think almost every chapter could begin it's own book. Maybe someday?
Great, but WARNING!!!!!.......2003-12-06
This is a really great collections of essays about Buffy and Angel, but PLEASE NOTE THAT A NEW EDITION IS COMING OUT IN JANUARY 2004. I have been trying to find out more about it, and right now it isn't clear whether they are changing the contents completely, or just allowing the authors to revise their articles. At any rate, I would strongly recommend checking out the contents of the newer volume before getting this earlier edition.
Average customer rating:
- Still my favorite resource
- My favorite carol book
- A nice selection of carols, with historical notes
- A wonderful collection of familiar and unfamiliar carols!
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The International Book of Christmas Carols
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The Oxford Book of Carols: Music edition
ASIN: 0828903786 |
Book Description
164 easy arrangements with chords of carols from around the world, complete with lyrics in the original language as well as English. This special collection also includes historical background information on the observance of Christmas through the years and notes about specific carols to give added understanding. Songs are included from England, Italy, Latin America, Spain, Scandinavia, Poland, Czech Republic, and more. Available: Unison/2-Part.
Customer Reviews:
Still my favorite resource.......2006-12-27
I agree with the other reviewers'comments. I purchased the book over 20 years ago because I was looking(here in America, and pre-internet, pre-google days!!) for German tunes I'd heard as a child...and was clueless as to the names of the tunes, etc. This book is such a joy to have, a lovely reminder of lovely childhood memories. For the German tunes, the melodies/chord changes/lyrics (and interesting background information) seem accurate. I recommend it wholeheartedly.
My favorite carol book.......2005-01-19
I bought this book a number of years ago and now have a personal tradition of playing through each and every carol in the book during the Christmas season. Through it, I have learned many carols popular in other countries that we seldom hear in the United States, and some of them have become new favorites of mine. I have used this book so much that the pages have yellowed and the original spiral-bound binding is coming loose, so I am considering buying a new copy. The edition sold here has a different cover and does not appear to be spiral-bound. In any event, I highly recommend this book for anyone sick and tired of hearing nothing but "Jingle Bell Rock" every December.
A nice selection of carols, with historical notes.......2002-11-28
This is a very good piano-vocal (+guitar chord) anthology of tunes from Europe and America. It is particularly strong in the English, French, German and Scandinavian selections. The Spanish section comprises Catalonian, Puerto Rican, Mexican and other regional carols, yet seems somwhat weak compared to the offerings in other languages. All songs include English translations; many of these translations are lyrical (i.e., they rhyme and fit the meter of the song) rather than literal. A note for choirmasters hoping to include foreign carols in Christmas pageants: there aren't any pronunciation guides or phonetic transliterations of the original lyrics, so if you want to sing the foreign language lyrics, you must be familiar with that language. The book also includes historical notes for most but not all songs, a first-line index and title index, and a guitar chord chart. The illustrations in our edition are rather lame, but musically this is a great book to own!
A wonderful collection of familiar and unfamiliar carols!.......1998-12-20
Many of the carols in this book would be hard to locate anywhere else. A person who misses Christmas music from his/her youth in a foreign nation will be especially pleased to find a source. It would also be useful for anyone trying to learn about Christmas in other lands. Each piece has the original language as well as English lyrics. Included are carols from English (including African American Spirituals), French, German, Scandinavian, Slavic, Italian, Spanish and Latin sources. Most of the piano music is playable by a person with average ability at the piano. I turn back to this book every year at Christmas.
Book Description
This book of sheet music contins 17 easy-to-learn Christmas Carols from around the world. They are arranged to be played on violins, a capella, with harmonies, much as carols have been sung throughout time. The range of ethnic rhythms keeps variety and spice in the musical celebration of the holidays. Included in the book is a proficiency chart which compares the difficulty level of each piece and it's harmonies with violin pieces in the Suzuki Violin Program. Each of the carols in this book is beloved by the people of it's culture and each quickly becomes cherished by fiddlers and violinists who use this book.
Customer Reviews:
excellent arrangements.......2004-11-11
This set of Christmas carols is as delightful as the first book. The arrangements are simple enough for a relative beginner to play, but are so nicely put together that they would be an asset to any holiday occasion.
Book Description
This book of sheet music contins 25 short easy to learn Christmas Carols from around the world. They are arranged to be played on violins, a capella, with harmonies, much as carols have been sung throughout time. The range of ethnic rhythms keeps variety and spice in the musical celebration of the holidays. Included in the book is a proficiency chart which compares the difficulty level of each piece and it's harmonies with violin pieces in the Suzuki Violin Program. Each of the carols in this book is beloved by the people of it's culture and each quickly becomes cherished by fiddlers and violinists who use this book.
Customer Reviews:
excellent arrangements of holiday music.......2004-11-11
I was very impressed with the arrangements as well as the selection of pieces in this book. The arrangements are simple enough for a relative beginner to play, but are so pleasant that they could be used for any one wishing to play a 2 to 3 part piece on a holiday occasion. I thought that I was familiar with most of the more common international carols, so I was suprised at the number of unfamiliar ones. My daughter's violin teacher and I tried out every piece and every harmony in this book as well as books 2 and 3. They were all thoroughly delightful.
Book Description
This book of sheet music contins 21 short easy to learn Christmas Carols from around the world. They are arranged to be played on violins, a capella, with harmonies, much as carols have been sung throughout time. The range of ethnic rhythms keeps variety and spice in the musical celebration of the holidays. Included in the book is a proficiency chart which compares the difficulty level of each piece and it's harmonies with violin pieces in the Suzuki Violin Program. Each of the carols in this book is beloved by the people of it's culture and each quickly becomes cherished by fiddlers and violinists who use this book.
Customer Reviews:
excellent arrangements.......2004-11-11
This book is as delightful as the other 2 books. The arrangements are simple enough for a relative beginner to play, but would be nice for anyone playing for a holiday occasion.
Customer Reviews:
The Ideal Game Setting for Werewolf the Forsaken.......2007-07-02
This book is the signature setting book for the Werewolf the Forsaken role playing game and as such, it offers a wealth of information to this excellent game.
Essentially, Hunting Grounds takes the various abstract concepts introduced in the corebook and puts them into an actual context. You ever wondered what the spiritual struggle for a city looks like? Denver is undergoing exactly that kind of struggle. You ever wondered what an extended family of werewolves looks like? Bingo. You want to see how the various werewolf packs play off each other in terms of politics? It's in here. You want to see exactly how werewolves act like spiritual police to the spirits that they've been assigned to corral? Hunting Grounds explains it all.
Consequently, there is a ton of ideas that weren't mentioned in the core rulebook. For example, even after all of this time, there's still dinosaur spirits hanging around the spiritual wilds of Denver, although they've survived for so long that they're more a collection of sharp teeth and claws than an actual spirit representative of Denver. There's warped parodies of werewolves left over from a confrontation from a Great Old One-like spirit that was destroyed some time ago. There's too much interesting stuff to list, really. It's the kind of thing where you just have to buy the book.
The opening fiction details the Black Moon Extreme pack as they hunt vampires - and they do about as well as you'd expect a pack with the word "extreme" in their names to do. The fiction seems honestly out of place - more tuned to the cartoon rock and roll of Werewolf: The Apocalypse, rather than the subtle, understated horror of the new World of Darkness. I mention this specifically because there's a fight between a werewolf on a motorcycle and an all-black Hummer on a crowded road, which seems somewhat contrary to the spirit of the game. The chapters breaks do an excellent job of portraying this kind of thing - both the traditional horror roots of werewolves, as in an excerpt from the 18th century man being chased by werewolves, and in the modern day, as in a description of the aftermath of a hunt.
Much of the book is taken up with the various packs that occupy the Denver area. The structure of this book borrows a page out of Vampire the Requiem game line, by detailing the local power structure and then offering new werewolf packs ample space to move in and interact with them. And since werewolves don't infight nearly as often as vampires do, there's options provided for each pack that allows the storyteller (GM) to use them as adversaries or as allies, complete with a story hook for each possibility, which is really nicely done.
The local sample packs themselves range from the interesting to the average. For instance, there's a group of survivalist werewolves - the Red Knives - who have their own compound up in the Rockies, and whose members have names like "Phantom" and "Ranger" and "Snap". They're fairly undifferentiated, but they've got a small cult of humans back at their compound who are fully aware of the existence of werewolves - a fascinating idea that seems to merit more explanation than it actually gets. As a werewolf pack, they're kind of uninspired, but imagine the fun that you could have throwing ordinary humans up against them. The Scar Angels are a werewolf biker gang, but with the sole exception of Smoke, the group's "face man" and travelling salesmen, they pretty much look like the picture that you get in your head when you hear the words werewolf bike gang.
A major NPC pack is the Pickering family - a family of Bone Shadow werewolves who seem to embody the ancestral curse aspect of lycanthropy - two sons have already died before seeing their 21st birthdays, and the third is only six months away and terrified. The rest of the family have their own agendas, but all of them wind up in the family crypt, the site of the pack's locus. The Shadow of Smoke and Fire lost one of its members to an attack by the Pure, and is walking wounded until somebody - either the Pure or the PC's - intervene. Black Moon Extreme is a rock band whose members are vampire-hunting werewolves, but the book makes them work. (Part of that is that a lot of the other werewolf packs think that they're kinda goofy too.)
There are also a lot of packs dedicated to one of the central plot points of the book - Max Roman's attempt to create a true werewolf nation, as opposed to scattered packs with no central organization. Gurdilag provided a major incentive for werewolves to cooperate, and allowed Max to wield a lot of political power, but now that the central threat is gone, many of the werewolves who joined Max - including a legendary werewolf - see Max's vision as contrary to the basic idea of what werewolves are supposed to be like. Some of the multi-tribal packs are beginning to fragment as they question if Roman's plan is going anywhere at all. At the same time, the Pure werewolves somehow figured out how to coordinate a major attack on Denver in the past, so the choice of whether the werewolves will act as a nation or as separate packs may not be as academic as it sounds. The PCs, if they play their cards right, could be the founders of the Forsaken werewolf nation.
The next chapter describes Denver and its environs, and it's here that we really get the good stuff. Denver's recently been freed from the spiritual domination of Gurdilag, but the resulting power vacuum and absence of hierarchy has basically laid everything to waste. Spirits who would otherwise fill specific needs have been forced to find new ways to survive, merging with their fellow spirits for protection and creating monstrosities in the bargain. The spiritual dogfight that's occurring in Denver is spelled out in remarkably clear terms:
"...spirits up and down the hierarchy are jostling for position and influence over their neighbors, making alliances and consuming those weaker than themselves. Spirits of buildings fight one another over who will become the spirit of the block, the winner then vies with other blocks to become the spirit of the neighborhood - at which point new building-spirits fight over who will fill the vacant position of spirit of the block."
The core book may have given general examples of how spirits interact with each other, but this makes it nice and specific - providing an actual illustration of how it clicks together.
The next chapter develops information on the Pure tribes who reside in the local area. We find out more about what the Pure are like - motivations, plans, goals. We get two sample packs - Howl to Mock the Dead, which ripped up the Shadows of Smoke and Fire, and the Guardians of Mountain Pass, responsible for guarding the mountain pass that winds through the Rocky Mountains. We also get the Bale Hounds described, but not as fully as I'd like. Their black and white morality seem rather radically out of joint in comparison to the much grayer world around them, and the suggested activities for Bale Hounds - using a human sex club for worship of the dark Lust spirit. Great stuff.
The Su'ur are werewolves who were radically warped by Gurdilag, usually resulting from when Gurdilag took a spirit and mashed it up against the werewolf without really thinking the result through. The resulting tragic hybrids make much better rivals for Werewolf: The Forsaken than the Bale Hounds do, as they're not entirely at fault for their condition - but they have to be killed. (Not that their new powers make that easy.) There's even a guy who's able to borrow the skills and powers of the werewolves that he eats, which shades into the Skin Changers of the early years of Werewolf: The Apocalypse. While the spirit responsible for creating the Su'ur in the Denver area has been - supposedly - destroyed, it's easy enough to say that all of the idigam who are returning to Earth from their long sleep are starting to pull the same trick.
The book closes with storytelling tips, including a recap of the various roles that the various werewolf tribes play within the Denver area and a general fleshing out of the main themes of the book. There's also a short adventure whose new totem is actually a corrupted spirit masquerading as a catamount - a mountain lion - which is slowly corrupting them. The story involves them investigating the weird afflictions affecting regional loci, then meet up with a dying Pureborn werewolf who fingers the affected pack as the ones responsible.
The artwork in the book really varies. The packs are all illustrated by the same artist, which offers continuity throughout the book.
Overall Hunting Grounds basically follows through on the promise made by the original game, expanding and explaining what the game's actually supposed to be about, predators who hunt. This setting book is a must-buy for anybody who's got Werewolf: The Forsaken.
Book Description
This book examines how small towns best prosper by leveraging their resources and working with local and state officials to break through the "one-company town" mindset to attract industry and new business relocations. In the book, Jack Schultz identifies seven and one-half factors that small towns must employ to attract new business relocations or spur new business start-ups, including a collective vision, local support and an entrepreneurial spirit.
Customer Reviews:
Moving to a small town?.......2007-05-27
The author of this book recently spoke at my college (Monmouth College) where his son attends. I have just moved to this small town (I am a college faculty member) and this book has given me a very different view of life and opportunities that exist in small towns. Very inspirational.
For Absolute Beginners in Community-Building.......2006-04-17
Rating: 4 Stars for those just getting started in their quest to reinvent a community; 3 Stars for all others. "Boomtown" is written in very broad strokes, and much of it is common sense; yet, it is the type of common sense worth reiterating to fledgling community-builders.
Perhaps the biggest single contribution this book makes is to demonstrate through hard data that there may very well be a positive payoff to all the visioning, strategic planning, consensus-building and financial investing that a community must engage in while attempting to redefine itself. The comparative data presented justifies the journey. And Schultz's admonition not to pin an agurb's hope on a single white knight - especially a large corporate outsider - is the single best piece of advice that he offers.
As a "starter kit", this book does not discuss the many facets of the municipal growth process that must inevitably be addressed if a strategic plan is to succeed, such as the roles of, and relationships with, a variety of potential planning and funding partners such as a state Main Street organization, USDA, state department of economic development, LISC, etc.; how to find sources of and apply for grants; how best to present initial growth concepts to elected officials and when; how to work with a project developer, etc. It is beyond the scope of "Boomtown" to delve into these matters in any detail, so the reader should be prepared to find answers elsewhere.
The single biggest take-away from "Boomtown" is that the leaders of numerous older communities like yours have dug deep and found sufficient inspiration to create a novel approach to limited growth or stagnation. The author offers numerous examples and anecdotes to make that point. Two or three may strike just the right chord with you and spark a lively discussion in your own backyard.
DYNAMITE ADVICE TO HELP SMALL TOWNS PROSPER!.......2004-11-23
Schultz is on the cutting edge of America's future. In Boomtown USA he does an extraordinary job of detailing how small towns can find their uniqueness, create jobs, and attract new residents or visitors. This book is a "must read" for any town official or private citizen who wants to make a difference and see their community prosper. And his list of the top 100 "Agurbs" is insightful, thoroughly researched, and invaluable for targeting forward-thinking communities."
Marilyn Ross, author of the forthcoming MICROPOLITAN MOVES: Advice for a Safe and Successful Relocation - or Buying Your Second Home Dream Retreat - in Small Town USA
Is your town a winning team?.......2004-10-23
Is Your Town a Winning Team?
As a chief executive officer of a company that for 17 years has developed industrial properties in small towns in the Midwest, Jack Schultz is in a unique position to answer the question: What separates the thriving towns from the struggling ones?
In his new book, BoomtownUSA: The 7 ½ Keys to Big Success in Small Towns (NAIOP, $21.95), Schultz has written an inspirational "how-to" guide for leaders of small communities; his central message being that it is possible, using the right tools, to build a team capable of shaping the destiny of its community.
Schultz describes the keys needed for small towns to thrive and grow. He asserts that in small, rural communities, a solid core group of bright, dedicated people working as a team can make a difference. To back up his premise, the author has filled his 167-page book with over one hundred examples and case studies.
The author claims that the third great population shift in America's history, from the suburbs to what Schultz has termed "the agurbs" has begun. The first wave was from farms to urban areas, the second wave from urban areas to the suburbs, and now a dramatic shift back to rural areas. During the 1990s, more than 18 million people moved from metropolitan areas into small communities and rural counties. Why? Lower costs of housing and living, lower crime rates, better schools, shorter commutes and, in general, a more relaxed and less stressful lifestyle.
With the technological advances in the last 20 or so years, Schultz states that there has been no better time in history for small towns to prosper. Thirty-three percent of the American jobs created between 2001 and 2004 went to residents of rural counties with average populations of 40,000. But the success or failure of small communities does not just happen on its own; the prospering small towns in this country have set themselves apart by excelling in the 7 ½ Keys: adopting a can-do attitude, shaping a vision, raising up strong leaders, encouraging an entrepreneurial approach, maintaining local control, building a brand, and embracing the teeter-totter factor (small actions that can make either a negative or positive impact on the entire community).
Success hinges on strong leadership, teamwork, and entrepreneurs. Schultz states that in towns that operate effectively, leadership is spread among a multitude of people; no single hero on a white horse will ride in and save your community. Rely on the collective wisdom, experience, vision and dreams of the committed people already in your community, and "empower the people with passion."
Schultz strongly advocates that communities need to develop leaders for the future, citing examples such as Colville, Washington, which founded the Colville Youth Commission to make recommendations to the city for the purpose of improving the quality of life for area youths.
The author states that prospering small towns can never have too many entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs should be nurtured and given room to operate. "Towns that recognize that the better their entrepreneurs do, the better the better the town will do, generally find themselves on a positive growth curve."
BoomtownUSA is an important book for anyone who has an interest in the future of his or her small town.
The future is here.......2004-10-16
Subtitled "7 1/2keys to big success in small towns," Schultz's book focuses on just what small and medium-sized towns and cities must do to share in the economic good times.
Schultz coins the term "agurbs" as a label for a new kind of economic development. "Agurbs" are those areas outside the major influence of metropolitan areas that have historically been agricultural in nature. But that is changing, he argues, as more and people seek a good life in these outlying areas. The population is moving and economic development is sure to follow. However, Schultz cautions that not every community will prosper. If they are to compete successfully in this new kind of development market, Schultz suggests that cities must:
1. Adopt a "can do" attitude;
2. Shape their vision;
3. Leverage their resources;
4. Raise up strong leaders;
5. Encourage an entrepreneurial approach;
6. Maintain local control;
7. Build their brand; and
7½. Embrace the teeter-totter factor.
We won't steal Schultz's thunder here; rather, we encourage you to buy the book to find out more about his seven and one-half keys to success. The "teeter-totter" factor is especially interesting.
But there are some really interesting facts in the book. Consider these:
From 1990 to 2000 metro areas produced 10% of the population growth and 9% of jobs in the United States. In contrast, "agurbs" produced 20% of the population growth and a stunning 24% of employment growth! Well, what about high-tech areas like Silicon Valley, Austin, TX, and those other creative-class Mecca's?
Here's the real kicker. High-tech areas (much like metro areas) gave the United States another 10% of population growth but just 12% of employment gains. The Top 100 agurbs (in terms of growth rates) showed a 28% increase in population and 32% of job gains. That means that one in three new jobs in the United States over the last decade came from the top 100 agurb areas.
No wonder we are so hot on those "micropolitan" areas we discussed last month (see this month's feature article, above). There is a very high positive correlation between Schultz's "agurbs" and the Census Bureau micropolitan areas.
Where are these agurb areas? In terms of density per state the highest number of them are found in Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, and Georgia. Hmm, interesting political implications here. Texas, Minnesota, Missouri, and other mid-western states also rank high on the index.
The implications seem rather obvious for economic development professionals. Look to areas that are characterized by high-quality communities; don't focus on low wage rates and tax incentives.
We are particularly intrigued by Schultz's work because he seems to say that real job creation is occurring exactly where we would predict: in areas that have high quality of life and clean environments, and that tend to be non-urban. Duh! Not only are people moving to these areas (according to the US Census), but they are becoming centers of job creation and, hence, wealth. We think Schultz is definitely on to something here.
What this book does is provide a primer for community leaders in these areas. His message is simple: get with the program or be left behind. When we look at Schultz's seven (and one half) factors we see qualities that separate successful developing areas from those that are not successful. And to loop back to our lead article, it is precisely these factors that make a difference between micropolitan areas that flounder (almost 50% of them) from those that are growing at tremendous rates.
Boomtown is another must-read if you are at all concerned about building social capital in your community. And Jack Schultz's checklist of keys to success may lead community leaders to an honest evaluation about whether they are positioned to succeed in tomorrow's economic reality.
And if I'm a corporate real estate executive or relocation specialist, guess what my first seven (and one half) questions will be about when the Mayor and Chamber of Commerce hosts me for dinner in West By God, Anystate, USA?
Books:
- Reconstructing Woody: Art, Love, and Life in the Films of Woody Allen
- Reel V. Real: How Hollywood Turns Fact into Fiction
- Robert Newman: His life and letters in celebration of the bicentennial of his showing of two lanterns in Christ Church, Boston, April 18, 1775
- Savage Theory: Cinema as Modern Magic
- Searching for John Ford: A Life
- So You Want to be A Screenwriter: How to Face the Fears and Take the Risks
- Sophia Loren: A Biography
- Stan and Ollie: The Roots of Comedy: The Double Life of Laurel and Hardy
- Star Wars Tie Fighter: A Pocket Manual (Star Wars/A Pop Up Book)
- Star Wars Who's Who: A Pocket Guide to the Characters of the Star Wars Trilogy (Star Wars)
Books Index
Books Home
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