Book Description
From its recording of family events to its influence on filmmaking, home video defies easy categorization and demands serious consideration. In There's No Place Like Home Video, James Moran takes on this neglected aspect of popular culture. Moran offers a cultural history of amateur home video, exploring its technological and ideological predecessors, the development of event videography, and home video's symbiotic relationship with television and film. He also investigates the broader field of video, taking on the question of medium specificity: the attempt to define its unique identity, to capture what constitutes its pure practice.
In Moran's discussion of video, he argues that previous scholars have not sufficiently dealt with its nature as hybrid, varied, and mutable. He argues that such a medium shouldn't be conceived as pure in and of itself; it is neither autonomous from other media nor entirely dependent on any other, but has a chameleonlike interface with films, television, computers, telephones, and even architecture. Rather than look for a grand narrative to define its specificity, Moran places video and home video at the intersections of multiple forms of communication.
James Moran is adjunct professor of visual and media arts at Emerson College in Los Angeles.
Average customer rating:
- Excellent History of Fantasy Fiction
- Fantastic Fantasy
- A 'must' for any serious collector and reader
- For solid fans of fantasy writing and the genre's history
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Fantasy of the 20th Century: An Illustrated History
Randy Broecker
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Science Fiction of the 20th Century : An Illustrated History
ASIN: 1888054522 |
Book Description
Our most death-defying adventures and wildest flights of imagination—the stuff such as dreams are made of—this is the realm of fantasy. And ever since ancestral storytellers created myths of monsters, lost worlds, dragons, and heroes, fantastical tales have transported us to these magical places beyond. William Morris, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and Robert E. Howard are just a few examples of writers who sailed off the edge of their known worlds into those of their own creation.
In these beautifully illustrated pages, you will read of voyages launched by these celebrated commanders of the genre and more. Randy Broecker reveals how the fantasy story evolved over the centuries into the entertainment found in today's books, comics, and films. Collectors, aficionados, and readers of the genre will be amazed by the breadth of Broecker's history, and eager to make it part of their library.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent History of Fantasy Fiction.......2005-08-28
What do C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Mark Twain, William Morris, George MacDonald, Washington Irving, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle all have in common? They all have written fantasy novels/stories in one form or another, and in one type or genre or the other.
This massive book gives an excellent detailed history of Fantasy fiction, including the writings of all the authors mentioned above. Moreover, the text is accompanied by some great illustrations, actual book covers, magazine covers, and art all aiding in the detail of the history presented.
This book is quite thorough in its history, making mention of classics such as the Iliad and Odyssey, Greek, Roman, Celt, and German mythology, as well as Arthurian mythology and tales. What is more, the book details fantasy fiction from the early 1900's to the present day (the actual date of publication for this book).
There are chapters devoted to the Pulps written from the early teens to the late fifties. H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, and many more are detailed in the Pulp section of this work. The book also details what is known as 'High Fantasy' with works by Tolkien, Lewis, Terry Brooks, Peter Beagle, Piers Anthony, Terry Pratchett, and the like. All have works that are either historical sword and sorcery set in imaginary worlds with hybrid creatures, dwarfs, elves, warriors and the like. A genre which has become so popular that it dominates the fantasy market today.
This book is a must for all fantasy fiction fans, collectors of fantasy novels and old pulp magazines, as well as for those who just love reading history and fantasy. The book is over 250 pages, filled with color art work, reads quite well and keeps the reader's attention throughout, all making it a wonderful addition to any library.
Fantastic Fantasy.......2002-08-03
This is a very interesting book. I think the illustrations are easily enjoyed by collectors, enthusiasts and just the average reader alike.
The commentary in addition to the images really gave depth to the Illustrated History. In addition, the formatting of the book, having sections for different strains of the fantasy genre, was very convenient.
Overall, a very fun and visually stimulating book.
A 'must' for any serious collector and reader.......2002-07-12
Randy Broecker's Fantasy Of The 20th Century deserves ongoing mention as an outstanding fantasy reference guide which should be a 'must' for any serious collector and reader. From the earliest fantasy mythology epics to later publications and modern authors from H. Rider Haggard to Robert Howard, Fantasy Of The 20th Century surveys the major publications of the 20th century. A highly recommended reference, this is packed with color photos and insights alike.
For solid fans of fantasy writing and the genre's history.......2002-01-09
Solid fans of fantasy writing and the genre's history will appreciate Randy Broecker's Fantasy Of The 20th Century, a superbly presented survey of fantasy creators and their worlds. Full-page color photos of fantasy publications from magazines to pulp fiction accompany a coverage of notable authors, plots, and series titles alike. This will prove an especially inviting gift for that avid fan who 'has everything'.
Average customer rating:
- WONDERFUL Scrapbook of SF history
- Breathtaking
- Science Fiction of the 20th Century
- Worth 60 Bucks and Then Some....
- visually great, slightly self-serving
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Science Fiction of the 20th Century : An Illustrated History
Frank M. Robinson
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Fantasy of the 20th Century: An Illustrated History
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Science Fiction: The Illustrated Encyclopedia
ASIN: 1888054298 |
Book Description
10"X13", cloth, 256 full-color pages, embossed and foiled dust jacket, vividly illustrated with images of film posters, magazines and books. This is an insider's view of the writers, illustrators and editors who made science fiction the most popular form of entertainment in the 20th Century.
Customer Reviews:
WONDERFUL Scrapbook of SF history.......2002-03-21
I'll be honest; when I first saw this book in a local store I wasn't sure I wanted it. It's very heavy (about 10-15 pounds) and expensive (about $60), but I sprang for it because I love SF and I wanted to see what a writer who loves it too had to say.
Frank Robinson is a dedicated writer, fan and historian. Not as dry as John Clute, but not as irreverent as Harlan Ellison, Robinson shows his love by sharing some truly amazing and wide-ranging materials dating from as far back as the 1890s.
A good, friendly companion if you want to take a SF literature course, or if you just want to sit down for a few weeks and read. HIGHLY recommended.
Breathtaking.......2001-05-01
This book is a beautiful collection of some stunning science fiction art.
Two things should be mentioned right away: first, that this is a book of science fiction art, not fantasy (there are no dragons, no unicorns, no elves), and second, that with the exception of a few science fiction movie posters, the art featured within are book covers and magazine covers.
This book itself is a work of art. It's large, it's heavy (printed on thick glossy paper), it's very colorful and has very fancy graphic designs. The layout is easy to see, eye-catching, and well spaced. Some of the featured covers are full-page. Most pages have two or three covers, a few have four. In other words, the pictures are never crowded together, and remain large enough to show detail.
Many of the covers are astounding. There are assorted rockets, saucers, aeroplanes, even a few flying globes. There are furry aliens, tentacled aliens, winged aliens, reptilian aliens, aquatic aliens, some tiny humanoid aliens. Heroes in skintight clothing, heroes in coverall jumpsuits, heroes in metallic spacemechs, heroes in Roman Centurion gear (go figure), heroes in clanky armorlike spacesuits. The women, especially in the earlier pulps and books, tend to be either scantily clad or in skintight clothing, and most are in various states of distress (being carried off by aliens). There are vistas of deserts, oceans, mountain ranges, desolate moonscapes, fantastic alien forests, fabulous spaceports. Many moons hang in the sky, and fantastic ringed planets.
Among the magazines included are Analog, Asimov's, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Argosy, Astounding, Amazing Stories, Planet Stories, Science Wonder Stories, Locus. And more. Book covers range from forgotten novellas to bestselling classics. Movie posters from B-movie creature features to contemporary blockbusters. There really is a lot of art in this book.
The narrative, which is actually extensive, mostly follows the history of the sci-fi magazines and their circulation. The data is informative, but when the art is this beautiful, you won't be reading the small print except to see who did the drawing anyway. You'll lose yourself in this book!
There is only one reason I took one star from the review: some of the art is not identified. The publishers really ought to be ashamed of themselves for overlooking this, in an art book of all things. The entries are identified (although some of the artists' names have been lost, the publisher or sources are named), but the graphics of the cover (of this book) and the chapter introductions are not identified. Shame, shame! The chapter introduction plates are breathtaking, as are the inside-cover and dustjacket art.
This is a book of dreams and imagination. Normally I'd call this a "coffee table book" but not this time. HIDE this book and hoard it for yourself. It's a treasure.
Science Fiction of the 20th Century.......2000-07-14
Science Fiction of the 20th Century Author: FrankM. Robinson
This fascinating book is 100 percent sciencefiction/fantasy memories. I was especially intrigued because it was a birthday gift from my son, and I was one of the writers for Weird Tales magazine and a Brown University veteran-student during the late 1940's. Superb Magazine Cover Photos.
At first, I did a lot of skimming and admiring the book covers, but I recommend you read the book in chronological order, from beginning to end. Robinson's Science Fiction of the 20th Century is thoroughly researched and very well written. Delightfully, exciting and wonderfully informative, Robinson's book contains hundreds of superb, full-color photographs of science fiction and fantasy magazine covers, (wherever did they find them? and they are printed even sharper and more brilliant than when new!).
You will enjoy the beautiful, digitally-created science fictions pulp covers, many enlarged two times actual dimensions. (The average size of early pulp magazines was 6"x8", but they varied, depending on the availability of paper stock during four wars and the fluctuating prices of the pulp paper.)
Writers of Yesterday
Science Fiction of the 20th Century dates from the beginning of science fiction and fantasy genre, to the present revival in books, TV, Movies and Magazines!
The author, Frank M. Robinson gives fascinating and informative data on science fiction writers of past and present. He even reports that Hugh Heffner of Playboy fame, was a sci-fi addict. Playboy magazine has published outstanding science fiction stories and authors, such as Arthur C. Clarke and Ray Bradbury.
Final Notes
Robinson's book gave me an exhaustive, warm and nostalgic visit to fond friends, illustrations, covers, and writers of yesterday, and today.
Robinson's book even stimulated me to forage in my attic where I found a treasure chest of dozens of stories that I had written and published decades ago. I typed them into my computer, formatted them, edited, and now have a new book titled, Really Weird Weird Tales!, a compilation of science fiction and fantasy stories for a huge market, now reborn.
Worth 60 Bucks and Then Some...........2000-04-01
Although I'm not an expert on science fiction,I'm hoping to learn more about the genre so I can figure out what is best to invest time in reading, having already read Dune, Lord of the Rings, H.G.Wells, Jules Verne and some of the other basics. Buying this book was in part motivated by my desire to seek out some context and history of the vast sci-fi universe. The other motivation is that I collect particularly high-quality and esoteric art books and the other reviewers described the book as possibly meeting that criteria.
Having just received the book earlier today let me emphatically express that this is a fantastic work, beautifully illustrated, meticulously manufactured, and what I've read is very well written. This book emanates the kind of vital and exciting energy that I find to be most compelling in a "coffee table book." It really rouses interest in the subject matter it presents.
I've checked out other coffee table books on sci-fi, and some have looked good but none come close to this.
visually great, slightly self-serving.......2000-02-02
The book is a lavish, beautifully put-together work, with plenty of big colorful reproductions of classic pulp and contemporary cover art. There are a few mistakes (no, Cronenberg didn't direct the original Vincent Price version of 'The Fly'), but there's really one simple reason why I couldn't bring myself to give this book a 5-star recommendation. After having read it from cover to cover, there was a slight bad taste left in my mouth. Why? Because the author/editor, James M. Robinson, seemed a bit too relentless in his attempts to establish his own reputation and history in the field. Now I've read a LOT of science fiction in my time, but before I picked up this book I'd never even heard of James Robinson. So I was surprised by how often I came across reproductions of his book covers and/or mentions of his work. And they weren't presented in any sort of a 'personal note' type of format, nor do the captions for the illustrations even identify that the person who wrote the book being shown is the same as the editor who chose to include the image in this history. Rather, in most cases, you'll see Robinson's work discussed from the same third-person perspective as the other important works that surround it. This even extends, in one case, to including the work of another minor author apparently because it affords the opportunity to mention the fact that they'd collaborated with Robinson on OTHER projects. A quick count reveals cover reproductions of three of Robinson's novels (i.e. ALL of his science-fiction novels - he wrote a couple of techno-thrillers as well), a reproduction of a movie poster for a film based on one of those novels, and about five other mentions of his work in the text. A few of these would be fine - and the reproduction of one of his self-produced fanzines from the 1940's is a nice piece of nostalgia that certainly establishes his love of the genre. But it really felt like Robinson is trying to present himself as one of the more significant contributors to the genre. Personally, I just don't feel that Frank M. Robinson's fiction should be discussed more often than the work of Poul Anderson, or Robert Bloch, or Hal Clement, or Lester Del Rey or (to move to the end of the alphabet) Jack Vance or Gene Wolfe or Roger Zelazny. (Strangely enough, if you look up Frank M. Robinson in the index at the back of the book, he's not even listed. (Perhaps to make comparisons like this one a bit harder to do? Or maybe it's just sloppy indexing - SPIDER Robinson isn't listed in the index either, yet he's mentioned at least three times in the body of the book). At any rate, it really IS a beautiful book, and if you love this stuff as much as I do then you won't be disappointed by the overall package. It's just too bad that an editor somewhere didn't make an attempt to curb the author's self-promotion a little bit.
Amazon.com
This classic study of horror and science fiction movies was first published in 1967, the year before films such as Rosemary's Baby and 2001: A Space Odyssey transformed both genres. Readers interested in the many horror and science fiction films made before the modern era of graphic violence and special-effects extravaganzas will be enthralled by An Illustrated History of Horror and Science Fiction Film. It summarizes the plots and relates the importance of a wide variety of relevant films, from the early work of Georges Méliès and the German expressionists to Universal Pictures horror movies such as the original Dracula and Frankenstein to the suggestively atmospheric work of Val Lewton and the sci-fi classics of the 1950s. Clarens makes fascinating observations about the mythical value of these films and their cathartic effect on viewers. His insights are so powerful and expressive that J. Hoberman, who wrote an introduction to the book's 1997 reissue, found that "this idiosyncratic genre history was really an idiosyncratic history of the commercial cinema as it had developed, in Europe and America, from the 1890s through the mid-1960s." An Illustrated History of Horror and Science Fiction Film contains scores of terrific black-and-white illustrations and a detailed filmography.
Customer Reviews:
A Classic to Read and Remember--Not For Skimming!.......2001-10-30
Like another reviewer, I first read the '67 edition of Clarens' book when I was in high school. Already a horror movie fan, I needed context and appreciation of the genre, and that's exactly what this wonderful book provided, then and now. This is a book for the serious fan in search of a history of both the technique and ideas behind horror films. Clarens' observations about specific films' production, actors' performances, and even camera tricks will stay with you and help you to enjoy horror movies, old and new, even more than you did before. It is illustrated well, but it's an illustrated history, not an annotated photo catalog. Thus this is a book with terrific words and ideas, plus images--it's not intended to be a glossy fan mag with captions. Approach it with an expectation of ideas plus a few images, and let your imagination work its magic. Read the book to understand the big picture--not just to savor a few illustrations. I'm thrilled with the re-issue, and expect the book to support intelligent fans as well as cinema scholars. It's a book to keep, appreciate, and savor.
Disappointed.......2000-06-19
If your looking for a book that has the plots and story lines of the horror and science fiction movies of the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s, this ISN"T it. If your looking for a lot of old prints from the same movies, this ISN'T it. The word "ILLUSTATED" in the title must be an error, in a book of 256 pages there are 135 pictures (mostly small, most on the same pages)
Certainly the place to start-- the very best survey.......2000-01-24
I read this in its original 1967 edition when I was very young, and it inspired a life-long love of horror films (at that time the Science Fiction content was not in the title, though it was found in the book). Clarens' effort is clear and concise-- not too much on any one thing, but he manages to hit all the necessarys and high spots. It's really indispensible for the fan who's starting out in a serious study of the subject-- or who just loves horror.
Average customer rating:
- Delightful book with plenty of pictures
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Ladies of the Manor (Illustrated History Paperbacks)
Pamela Horn
Manufacturer: Sutton Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0750914319 |
Book Description
From diaries, personal accounts and reminiscences, this book portrays the life and social round of women of the landed gentry from the 1830s to the end of World War I.
Customer Reviews:
Delightful book with plenty of pictures.......2004-07-15
This delightful book provides a thorough examination of what it was like to be an upper class female in Victorian England. Starting with birth, and delving into childhood, education, adolescence, marriage, and motherhood, it really covers just about everything. I've never seen a book which covered all of these stages so fully: usually they concentrate on adolescence or adulthood without giving the reader a firm background of the formative years.
Although the book is out of print, I bought it in England only a few years ago. It might still be available there, if you go to amazon.co.uk
Book Description
The Benko Gambit, named after the Hungarian player Pal Benko, who pioneered it, has long been a favorite opening of dynamic tournament chess players. This entertaining guide is part of a series that treats openings in a fresh new way. “First Moves” leads you through the basics as you start the gambit. “Tricks and Traps” reveals the secrets of catching out your opponent. And “What’s Hot” divulges the very latest ideas from the champions. A detailed table summarizes the main variations, with assessments.
Customer Reviews:
Better Than the Actual Variation.......2007-04-19
If only the Volga Gambit (aka: The Benko) were as solid as this effort from McDonald. From the genetic and in depth look at a prescient Capablanca-Nimzowitch game to the section on What's Hot at upper levels of play, this book reads better (and thus entertains more) than the average chess book. And it delivers the goods on theory as well as McDonalds culls from a healthy set of sources (as listed in the bibliography) and mixes heavier analysis with ligther sections with some nice wit and pith injected to keep us reminded that it is, after all, just a game we are playing.
Now, if only the Benko itself offered as many winning chances to Black as this books does to its audience.....
An excellent start in the Benko.......2006-05-29
This book is a great place to start for players wanting to understand this gambit.
"The Benko Gambit Revealed" is a fairly quick read but has enough theory for club players to wheel out the Benko with confidence.
In particular, McDonald does a very good job of explaining the kind of compensation that black traditionally gets for the gambited pawn. One of the strongest points of this book is that the reader is taught standard tactical motifs as well as the fundamental strategic ideas. This will help the reader understand WHY certain lines are more critical than others.
As well as which ideas are more consistent with the philosophy of the opening.
Rather than demonstrating long lines, McDonald attempts to explain the unlying ideas behind the theory. This approach often leads to "feel good" books that are one-dimentional. However, McDonald does a good job of maintaining objectivity while being informative enough to keep the book from being too 'light'.
Overall, the book is a success because I think the reader comes away from this book with a terrific sense of what the Benko is about. Still, it will be necessary for stronger players to review material from other sources (such as Informator, New In Chess, etc.) in the most critical lines (e.g. Ephishin's 10.Rb1 in the fianchetto line). But for the average chess player there is ample coverage and don't worry in most lines McDonald is able to demonstate at least adequate compensation for the pawn.
Having spent years reading almost every book on the Benko available in english (and trust me, there have been quite a few) this book is the one I would recommend for players looking to start playing this system for Black. It is inspirational and informative. Be sure to pay attention through to the last chapter since that's where most of the theory is listed and serves a good transition into a more rigorious work some players will need to feel completely confortable.
Great first book to study the Benko.......2005-02-24
I signed up to play a thematic tournament via email. The theme is the Benko Gambit Declined. Since I'm a beginner at chess my library is rather poor. This book has helped me discover the many interesting variations involved with this opening. The commentary is really simple to follow. Great book.
Book Description
Leading Minds and Landmark Ideas In An Easily Accessible Format
From the preeminent thinkers whose work has defined an entire field to the rising stars who will redefine the way we think about business, The Harvard Business Review Paperback Series delivers the fundamental information today's professionals need to stay competitive in a fast-moving world.
In the rapidly changing world of business, close calls and near misses are not uncommon. Obtaining the managerial skills and tools to effectively manage or avoid these crises is critical to the survival and success of your organization.
Harvard Business Review on Crisis Management highlights leading ideas on how to deal with difficult situations, crises, and other sensitive topics in a business environment. A Harvard Business Review Paperback.
Customer Reviews:
Dated contexts but durable insights.......2007-05-16
This is one in a series of several dozen volumes that comprise the "Harvard Business Review Paperback Series." Each offers direct, convenient, and inexpensive access to the best thinking on the given subject in articles originally published by the Harvard Business School Review. I strongly recommend all of the volumes in the series. The individual titles are listed at this Web site: www.hbsp.harvard.edu. The authors of various articles are among the world's most highly regarded experts on the given subject. Each volume has been carefully edited. Supplementary commentaries are also provided in most of the volumes, as is an "About the Contributors" section that usually includes suggestions of other sources that some readers may wish to explore.
In this volume, the reader is provided with eight articles. Given when they first appeared in the HBR (1994-1999), some of the material is dated but the core concepts remain relevant. Here are some questions and comments that indicate issues the various contributors examine:
How to manage the crisis you tried to prevent? (Norman R. Augustine)
What can be an effective strategic approach to managing product recalls? (N. Craig Smith, Robert J. Thomas, and John A. Quelch)
How was Continental Airlines "saved"? (Greg Brennehan)
What to do when a key executive defects? (Anurag Sharma and Idalene F. Kesner)
How to formulate and then implement an effective media policy? (Sandi Sonnenfeld)
Note: Five experts respond to a fictitious scenario and offer their advice.
After layoffs, what to do next? (Suzy Wetlaufer)
Note: Five experts offer their advice on how to revive morale at a company in another fictional case study.
In "Leadership When There Is No One to Ask," Linda Hill and Suzy Wetlaufer interview Franco Bernabe, CEO of Eni (a large, energy-focused industrial group in Italy), who explains why he made turnaround decisions in "solitude."
In "Lincoln Electric's Harsh Lessons from International Expansion," chairman emeritus Donald F. Hastings explains how Lincoln suffered throughout the 1990s and then returned to prosperity.
Those who share my high regard for this volume are urged to check out the recently published Harvard Business Review on Making Smarter Decisions as well as other series title in the Harvard Business Review Paperback Series such as those on Advances in Strategy, Becoming a High-Performance Manager, the Innovative Enterprise, Leadership at the Top, and Measuring Corporate Performance. Also these excellent sources which provide other perspectives on crisis management: Eric Dezenhall and John Weber's Damage Control: Why Everything You Know About Crisis Management Is Wrong, Dominic Elliot's Key Readings in Crisis Management: System and Structures for Prevention and Recovery, Ian I. Mitroff and Gus Anagnos'Managing Crises Before They Happen: What Every Executive and Manager Needs to Know About Crisis Management, Edward Borodzicz's Risk, Crisis and Security Management, Gerald Lewis' Organizational Crisis Management: The Human Factor, and Edward S. Devlin's Crisis Management Planning and Execution.
Oh yes, I almost forgot. Here's another excellent source published by Harvard Business School Press: Crisis Management: Mastering the Skills to Prevent Disasters (Harvard Business Essentials).
A useful tool.......2006-06-29
Without having to dredge through a plethora of material to find what you're looking for, you can use it to quickly flick through for refence material, checklists and guides.
A handy tool for any workplace....
A useful tool.......2000-06-19
Acquiring required skills and tools to effectively manage or mitigate crises is essential to the success of modern organizations. `Harvard Business Review on Crisis Management' is a collection eight essays presenting new ideas and concepts on how to manage, mitigate crises and other related key issues in a rapidly changing business environment.
Some of the essays in this collection are written by leading management consultants and CEOs. Topics covered include; `strategic approaches to product recalls', `leadership', `what happens when an executive defects' and how companies can develop better media policies and plans as part of crisis management and preparedness.
My favorite is Norman R Augustine's essay titled `Managing the Crisis You Tried to Prevent'. In this well researched essay, Augustine describes six stages of a crisis drawing lessons from several well-known crises. The important issue emerging is that "almost every crisis contains within itself' the seeds of failures as well as the "roots of failure." Drawing quotations from Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde, the author provides very useful insights into understanding, managing and preventing a crisis.
This book is a useful tool for executives and managers who need to upgrade their knowledge or gain access to leading experts on topics related to crisis management.
Book Description
The business environment has become increasingly precarious, thus raising the stakes for nearly every managerial move. This cutting edge collection includes articles on how to lead in a downturn economy, overcome a growth crisis, stay resilient through difficult periods, and more.
The Harvard Business Review Paperback Series
The series is designed to bring today's managers and professionals the fundamental information they need to stay competitive in a fast-moving world. From the preeminent thinkers whose work has defined an entire field to the rising stars who will redefine the way we think about business, here are the leading minds and landmark ideas that have established the Harvard Business Review as required reading for ambitious businesspeople in organizations around the globe.
Book Description
Harvard Business Review on Building Personal and Organizational Resilience
Why do some people bounce back from life's hardships while others despair? This collection of articles looks at the nature of individual and organizational resilience, an issue that has gained special urgency in today's unstable world environment. In the business arena, resilience has found its way onto the list of qualities sought in employees. This collection provides readers with the ability to solve problems without the usual or obvious tools and prepares them to improvise rapid responses to crisis.
The Harvard Business Review Paperback Series
The series is designed to bring today's managers and professionals the fundamental information they need to stay competitive in a fast-moving world. From the preeminent thinkers whose work has defined an entire field to the rising stars who will redefine the way we think about business, here are the leading minds and landmark ideas that have established the Harvard Business Review as required reading for ambitious businesspeople in organizations around the globe.
Customer Reviews:
Just another Leadership book far from "Resilience" specific.......2007-02-03
This book has little to do with resilence nor the building of it, but descriptive accounts of trauma/change/disaster handling (911 is frequently mentioned) that are normally grouped under "Leadership". Perhaps the only exception is Chapter One "How Resilience Works" by Diane Coutu, which discusses that "Resilience is a reflex, a way of facing and understanding the world, that is deeply etched into a person's mind and soul. Resilient people and companies face reality with stauchness, make meaning of hardship instead of crying out in despair, and improvise solutions from thin air. Others do not. This is the nature of resilience, and we will never completely undestand it." In short, this may be a good book on management. However, if you want to read something specific about resilience and how to build it, please look somewhere else.
As usual, below please find some of my favorite passages for your reference.
Multiple backup sites seemed like an incredible extravagance on 910. But on 912, they seemed like genius. - Robert G Scott, President and COO, Morgan Stanley pg 9
When people know they can bring their pain to the office, they no longer have to expend energy trying to ignore or suppress it, and they can more easily and effectively get back to work. pg 25
It's better to think through the Sunday game on Saturday than to kick the corpse on Monday. pg 129
Several uncomfortable truths about organizational life:- pg173
- there's no such thing as a private conversation
- there's no such thing as a casual conversation
- people sometimes hear what they most fear
- trauma has a long half-life
- no good deed goes unpunished
- Newton's third law doesnt always apply
"Champions get up when they can't." (Jack Dempsey).......2005-11-10
This is one in a series of several dozen volumes which comprise the "Harvard Business Review Paperback Series." Each offers direct, convenient, and inexpensive access to the best thinking on the given subject in articles originally published by the Harvard Business School Review. I strongly recommend all of the volumes in the series. The individual titles are listed at this Web site: www.hbsp.harvard.edu. The authors of various articles are among the world's most highly regarding experts on the given subject. Each volume has been carefully edited. Supplementary commentaries are also provided in most of the volumes, as is an "About the Contributors" section which usually includes suggestions of other sources which some readers may wish to explore.
In this volume, the reader is provided with eight articles. Given when they first appeared in the HBR, some but remarkably little of the material is dated. Here are brief excerpts from the executive summaries with precede four of them:
How Resilience Works (Diane L. Coutu): She "looks at the nature of individual and organizational resilience, issues that have gained special urgency in light of recent terrorist attacks, war, and recession." Three fundamental characteristics seem to set resilient people and companies apart from others. "The first is the capacity to accept and face down reality. In looking hard at reality, we prepare ourselves to act in ways that allow us to endure and survive hardships. Second, resilient people and organizations possess an ability to find meaning in some [especially painful] aspects of life. The third building block of resilience is the ability to improvise." (May, 2002)
Crucibles of Leadership (Warren G. Bennis and Robert J. Thomas): Bennis and Thomas believe that there is no simple formula to explain how great leaders come to be but suggest "that its has something to do with the ways people handle adversity. [Their most research for a book published later, Geeks and Geezers] suggests that one of the most reliable indicators and predictors of true leadership is the ability to learn from even the most negative experiences. An extraordinary leader is a kind of phoenix rising from the ashes of adversity stronger and more committed than ever." They call these shaping experiences "crucibles, after the vessels medieval alchemists used in their attempts to turn base metals into gold" and suggest that great leaders possess four essential skills, "the most critical of which is `adaptive capacity' -- an almost magical ability to transcend adversity and emerge stronger than before." (September, 2002)
A Survival Guide for Leaders (Ronald A. Heifetz and Marty Linsky): "Let's face it, to lead is to live dangerously." Heifetz and Linsky offer a number of techniques -- relatively straightforward in concept but difficult to execute -- "for protecting yourself as you lead" change initiatives which threaten, indeed disrupt the status quo. Their article has two main parts. "The first looks outward, offering tactical advice about relating to your organization and the people in it. It is designed to protect you from those who would push you aside before you complete your initiatives. The second looks inward, focusing on your own needs and vulnerabilities. It is designed from keeping you from brining yourself down." (June, 2002)
The Enemies of Trust (Robert Galford and Anne Seybold Drapeau): "Any act of bad management erodes trust, so the list of potential enemies is endless. Among the most common enemies of trust, though, are inconsistent messages from top management, inconsistent standards [and/or inconsistent application of specified standards], a willingness to tolerate incompetence or bad behavior, dishonest feedback, a failure to trust others to do good work, a tendency to ignore painful or politically charged situations, consistent corporate underperformance, and rumors. Fending off these enemies must be at the top of every chief executive's agenda." (February, 2003)
Hopefully these four brief excerpts encourage those with whom I now share them to obtain a copy of this volume and then read all of the eight articles.
From trust to combat zones: a few nuggets of wisdom.......2003-10-22
In today's unstable global environment we appreciate more than ever the virtue of resilience in both individuals and organizations. This collection promises to provide you with the ability to solve problems without the usual or obvious tools and prepares them to improvise rapid responses to crisis. You *will* find enough solid contributions here to justify the purchase, unless you already have the original HBR articles. The pieces range from Robert Galford and Anne Siebold Drapeau's February 2003 "The Enemies of Trust" back to William Patagonis's "Leadership in a Combat Zone" from late 1992.
These two pieces also hint at the diversity of the collection hidden under the title. Patagonis writes about how he directed the logistics of the 1991 Gulf War. He explains that leading successfully requires a person to demonstrate expertise and empathy - which can be systematically learned and true leaders create organizations that support the cultivation of leadership. Galford and Drapeau analyze the role of trust, finding a disparity between managers beliefs about their own and their colleague's trustworthiness and their lack of confidence in their ability to build trust within the organization. In explaining the disparity, the authors distinguish three kids of trust: Strategic trust, personal trust, and organizational trust.
Two of the strongest pieces are Diane Coutu's "How Resilience Works" and "A Survival Guide for Leaders" by Ronald A. Heifetz and Marty Linsky. Coutu explains resilience at its toughest as consisting of a staunch acceptance of reality, a deep belief, often bolstered by strongly held values, that life is meaningful, and a well-developed ability to improvise. One weakness of this piece is that the reader is left to figure out how to go about the development process if no crisis forces the issue. Heifetz and Linsky draw on their book Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive Through the Dangers of Leading to explain risk management for leaders in two parts: An externally-focused part offers tactical advice about relating to your organization and the people who comprise it. The internally-focused part focuses on your human needs and vulnerabilities to help you from defeating yourself.
The other pieces included are: "Leading in Times of Trauma" by Jane E. Dutton, Peter J. Frost, Monica C. Worline, Jacoba M. Lilius, and Jason M. Kanov; "Crucibles of Leadership" by Warren G. Bennis and Robert J. Thomas; "The Toxic Handler: Organizational Hero - and Casualty" by Peter J. Frost and Sandra Robinson; and "September 11, 2001: A CEO's Story" by Jeffrey W. Greenburg.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Harvard International Review, published by Thomson Gale on September 22, 2006. The length of the article is 3022 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Coping with disaster: a challenge for international institutions.(to predict and prevent: GLOBAL CATASTROPHE)
Author: Randolph Kent
Publication:
Harvard International Review (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 22, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 28
Issue: 3
Page: 44(5)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Harvard International Review, published by Thomson Gale on September 22, 2006. The length of the article is 2669 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Shock to the system: the impending global energy supply crisis.(to predict and prevent: GLOBAL CATASTROPHE)
Author: Matthew Simmons
Publication:
Harvard International Review (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 22, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 28
Issue: 3
Page: 62(4)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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