5 comments about Spinning Disney's World: Memories of a Magic Kingdom Press Agent.

1. Charles Ridgway was Disney's public face to the world for almost forty years. In an easy style, he takes us through some of the behind the scenes stories and anecdotes that are of interest to Disney students.
   Ridgway is a Disney fan which results in the book lacking any real meat. Gentle memoirs written in a gentle style do not make compulsive reading. The book is imbued with the Disney spirit where everyone loves everyone else and everyone lives happily ever after. Ridgway seems to have only met wonderful people who create wonderful experiences in his lifetime. Thus the book lacks OOMPH and bit.
   The author though does have a nice pleasant writing style who takes us through many enjoyable anecdotes and adventures as to how he helped create noise and media excitement around a wonderful brand.



2. Has there ever been an organization that had as many books written about it as Disney? From its movies, television and Broadway shows to its fabulous theme parks, even on to its corporate strategies; there are enough books to garner its own section of most bookstores. But still, most fans will scour the pages of any new tome in hopes of uncovering a small gem or two of knowledge. When a new book comes along that is penned by a true Disney legend, it is sure to be a treat.
   
   Charlie Ridgeway began his Disney career as a press agent in 1955. He has attended openings of all the theme parks from the original Disneyland to the most recent park in Hong Kong. His fifty year association with Disney has resulted in a vast offering of experiences, and each one evolves into a story or two. So, it's easy to pick up Charlie's new book "Spinning Disney's World", and find yourself taken in.
   
   Charlie devotes his time to stories focused on situations and stories directly related to his duties as press agent; whether it be guiding ducks down Main Street USA or posing Walt behind the wheel of a fire truck. So many of Charlie's "Adventures" are as globe-trotting as a James Bond novel but he remains as humble and accessible as possible. The book is a must for anyone interested in a career in public relations, especially when penned by the man who pretty much created Disney public relations from scratch. But more than likely, it is going to be read be fans (and detractors) of Disney.
   
   At its heart, the book is a reminiscent journey through fifty years of a man s career - a career that he loved. At times, his memory hops around a bit, so the book can meander. But if you're willing to go along with Charlie, you're sure to have a good time.



3. The book is a must for Disney fans. The item was shipped in such a short time and was in my hands earlier than I expected.
   
   Overall I enjoyed the book and the service was excellent.



4. As always we read just about anything from anyone who ever worked at Disney, in an effort to further our ongoing education about the theme park design process. Even a janitor might provide insight as to the almost mystical inner workings of the Disney corporation. However, Mr. Ridgway never really grabbed us. His writing style is pleasantly folksy, like hearing a story from a good neighbor... but he really never reveals anything of consequence that you cannot find out in any of the multitude of other books on The Disney Brothers, or their company. We suspect that if he really wanted too, he could reveal much more than he is willing to tell. Understandable, as he paints himself as a devoted employee. Personally I would like to spend a day with Mr. Ridgway, just picking his brain... but his book isn't really going to "let you in on anything". We hope he has some success because he is a likable fellow, but if you're really after information that you cannot get from other Disney "Tell all" books... you will not discover much in Mr. Ridgway's book. The title attracted us with promises, which never seemed to materialize.



5. This informative book is a true treasure. Thank you Mr. Ridgway (although they misspelled your name as a Legend inductee) for sharing your take on history with those of us in the field of public relations who are inspired by your trailblazing.

5 comments about On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker (Lisa Drew Books).

1. This book helps you to appreciate our past generations and how their struggles were not that different from our own. Madam CJ Walker is more than a shinning example of what anyone with determination can accomplish. A'Lelia Bundles is truly blessed that her great-grandmother and grandmother left so much documentation her to quench her love of family history. The experiences and stories of those that knew them take you back in time. This book helped me to look at my grandmother's antiques differently. I used to view them as beautiful things I have grown up with and am comforted by, but now I realize that they hold the key to what I may have been searching for all of my life. Just as she was drawn to the her grandmother's dressing table so was I. We are blessed as black women to have such a rich heritage to share. A'Lelia carries with her the dignity and pride of her family that I wish all of our young people could express. I think reading this book will help everyone to look to their past in a quest for the future.



2. The author tells the amazing rags to riches story of her great great grandmother, while at the same time providing a detailed account of a fascinating time in American history. This was a delight to read. Highly recommended!



3. Mrs. Bundles,
   I just wanted to let you know, I got an 'A' for my presentation on your great- great grandmother. My teacher told me that my speech was on a 2nd year speech class level and that I was like a piece of brass, I just needed some fine polishing. I may have a future in motivational speaking and I just had to thank you. The information in your book was not only factual and informative, but interesting to me as well as my mother and sisters. Our family history could be parallel to yours, except we have yet to find the key to financial success, but we will.
   I have fully enjoyed your book and reading what you yourself have been able to accomplish has been an added inspiration to me.
   Thank you for your time in guiding me to my 'A'



4. Before I read this book, I knew Madam C.J. Walker must have been one tough cookie! And she certainly was. But her story is more than just "daughter of slaves makes good."
   
   Madam Walker was orphaned at 7, and went to live with her sister and brother-in-law in what was apparently an abusive household. She married at 14 to escape the situation and, at 20, was left a widow, with a child to support. Leaving Mississippi for St. Louis, she began an extraordinary journey, one that would lead her not merely to wealth and fame, but to a position of influence and importance in the affairs of her race and her nation. She overcame obstacles of race, gender and class to found a business that would help give independence and financial stability to thousands of women. From the very beginning of her success, she used her money to help others, not merely through employment, but by setting an example of charitable giving that lasted throughout her life.
   
   As a woman rising from poverty, attempting to establish herself as a leader, she often met with resistance even in her own community (it took quite some time, for instance, for Booker T. Washington to acknowledge her as a leading businesswoman). But she persisted, and, even more to her credit, was able to walk a fine line between the supporters of Washington and those of W.E.B. DuBois, who took Washington to task as not aggressive enough in fighting for civil rights.
   
   I was fascinated by the section discussing Madam Walker's involvement in the efforts of the African-American community to have the issue of race placed on the table at the Versailles Peace Conference after World War I. This was a part of our history that I had not been aware of before reading this book. It does not surprise me that the government was spying on prominent African - Americans and community organizations (plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose!). And anyone, black or white, whom the government perceived as not being completely behind the official point of view was denied a passport to travel to the conference. The issue never came to the table.
   
   Unfortunately, as with a lot of strong, determined women, Madam Walker was not as successful in her choice of men (a difficulty her daughter also had!). But she did not hesitate to do what needed to be done in her personal life. Her daughter, Lelia (later A'Lelia), whom she raised with the usual mother-daughter conflicts, grew up to become an important part of the family business, though not an artist in any field herself, a key supporter of artists of the Harlem Renaissance.
   
   The author, A'Lelia Bundles, is her subject's great-great-great-granddaughter, and is a journalist. Her experience in that field surely was a major factor in the quality of this book. The woman knows research and documentation! She has provided endnotes, as well as a lengthy bibliography. Madam Walker is fortunate in her biographer and Ms. Bundles is fortunate in her ancestors!



5. This a wonderfully written biography on Madam C.J. Walker's life. I felt uplifted and inspired by her success as a business woman, as a human rights activist and as a philanthropist. A'Lelia Bundles, Madam Walker's great-great granddaughter, did an excellent job of transporting readers to 1867-1919 to experience the politicial, social and economical issues during Madam Walker's life time.
   
   A'Lelia Bundles was very clear and truthful regarding the fact that Madam Walker did not invent the hot comb. Madam Walker's business provided hair and skin care products to women of color not only in the U.S., also to women in the Caribbean and in Cuba. It is my strong opinion that Madam Walker was one of the first people to develop the concept of self-empowerment and financial independence for women of color because she provided the opportunity to become a Walker sales agent to thousands of women across the U.S. Madam C.J. Walker's work as a human rights activist and her contributions as a philanthropist, impacted a countless number of institutions, organizations and individuals. On Her Own Ground is powerful, moving, enlighting and it is filled with courage!

2 comments about Making the Impossible Possible: Leading Extraordinary Performance: The Rocky Flats Story.

1. this is a good book in that it provides a management model for consideration, explains it thoroughly, and then applies that model directly to a very interesting and challenging business situation. The idea that abundance - or driving for the ultimate activity - is doable is a new approach, and one that flies in the face of the "stretch goal" failure currently in management thinking. this books takes "beyond" and gives it texture - and real examples



2. This is an exceptional and, I think, an important book. The authors are trying to get at the things that enable the kind of exceptional performance that we all say we want and that some of us have been fortunate to experience at some point in our careers, if only briefly. We all know the kind of things that go into exceptional performance in sports whether for individual performance or as one of those "great" teams. While visualization was a revolutionary idea decades ago, nowadays we all know that athletes work with "pretty pictures". They focus on mental images of what they want to do rather than focusing on the mistakes they might make. It is the positive imagery that frees them to do the exceptional things they do and reach greater success than even similarly talented people who tie themselves in knots trying to avoid failure.
   
   This book uses the fabulous performance and success of cleaning up the Rocky Flats plutonium processing facilities as a real life example of Positive Deviance - of performing from Abundance rather than trying to manage performance by monitoring mistakes and poor performance. With the end of the Cold War and changes in America's nuclear program, several facilities that had been deemed vital (despite the intense environmental issues surrounding the processing of radioactive materials and building them into weapons) were now closed and had to be cleaned up. The original projections for Rocky Flats planned for 70 years and $36 billion.
   
   Instead, the team at Rocky Flats went through an internal process that took hold of Abundance and Positive Deviance. They dismantled the 800 buildings and cleaned the site in 10 years and for $6 billion. No other DOE facility cleanup has approached this performance.
   
   In telling this story the authors did several things right. First, they give us an overview of what the issues are - so you can begin to develop your own questions and challenges to the incredible story they are tell us. They then give us an overview of what Positive Organizational Scholarship and Abundance are about and what the literature shows us. And in telling the story of Rock Flats they use the words of the participants. This adds a great deal to the richness and depth of perspective into the way work happened and how it changed over time.
   
   Another way the authors help us understand the complex story of Rocky Flats is using the Competing Values model that was developed by Cameron and Quinn. It provides a means for analyzing the various cultural styles in the work place and how the level of success shown in Rocky Flats requires a paradoxical style. That is, it requires creativity and a free enough structure to innovate while at the same time requiring careful monitoring and measurement. There are many paradoxes that have to be managed in something as large and as complex as this cleanup.
   
   Along the way they raise several alternative views that could explain away the success of this mammoth project. With careful examination, it becomes very hard to give them much weight. Other views are also presented in Appendix 1. That the authors are so open about other possibilities for the success or that it is all an illusion I think strengthens their case.
   For me, the biggest reward came in chapter 9 when everything discussed previously is brought together in a very practical way. The reader is given a very practical explanation of the principles learned from this project and how to apply them in one's own work.
   
   So, do yourself a favor and open your mind to approaching work from the Abundance model rather than trying to find success by avoiding mistakes. It is not only a more successful way to work, it is a lot more fun and better for everyone around you.

3 comments about Henry and Edsel: The Creation of the Ford Empire.

1. HENRY AND EDSEL offers insight into the characters of Henry and Edsel Ford and what it was that compelled them. The book presents a strong sense of time and the Fords' presence in and contribution to the events around them. The book is filled with interesting anecdotes. The best part for me were the several chapters called "rearview mirror" -- accounts written by eyewitnesses who recorded their version of important events: Edsel's death, the riots, etc. The author also introduced us to some of the hard workers and bright people Henry surrounded himself with in order to get to the top. One person CAN change the world -- but almost never alone.



2. Richard Bak is a long-time resident of Detroit and Dearborn, Michigan, and doubtless absorbed much of the Ford legacy simply by growing up in a place that Ford formed. This book is not exactly a corporate history, not exactly a biography and not exactly a tell-all celebrity book, but it has elements of each. The most interesting pieces include the extended reminiscences by people who lived and worked closely with the Fords, and especially with Edsel's family. He has long lingered in the shadow of his famous father and it is somewhat surprising to discover that he had some fine qualities. These reminiscences have poignant moments that establish the veracity of any number of proverbs on money, happiness and the foibles of the great. The book is reasonably well written and fairly concise. It recapitulates the essentials of the Ford story, though it glances over the evolution of management and organization at the company. We assure you that you'll get the full Ford saga here, though you may have to extrapolate the business lessons it teaches for yourself.



3. Richard Bak is a long-time resident of Detroit and Dearborn, Michigan, and doubtless absorbed much of the Ford legacy simply by growing up in a place that Ford formed. This book is not exactly a corporate history, not exactly a biography and not exactly a tell-all celebrity book, but it has elements of each. The most interesting pieces include the extended reminiscences by people who lived and worked closely with the Fords, and especially with Edsel's family. He has long lingered in the shadow of his famous father and it is somewhat surprising to discover that he had some fine qualities. These reminiscences have poignant moments that establish the veracity of any number of proverbs on money, happiness and the foibles of the great. The book is reasonably well written and fairly concise. It recapitulates the essentials of the Ford story, though it glances over the evolution of management and organization at the company. We assure you that you'll get the full Ford saga here, though you may have to extrapolate the business lessons it teaches for yourself.

5 comments about The Difference Between God and Larry Ellison: *God Doesn't Think He's Larry Ellison.

1. This book could have perfect at 100 pages. Instead the book goes on and on about how bad, delusional, self-centered and lying Larry Ellison is. It also belabores how decadent and immoral are Oracle's marketing and sales people.
   
   The book does not really paint a picture of how Oracle became successful. The time line is blurred, instead, we get repetetive stories ripped out of different periods in Oracle's history.
   
   The explanations of database industry and technology sector overall are weak.
   
   Perhaps if the book was shorter, I would not be as negative, but as it stands at 350 pages, I can not recommend it.



2. This book was a great read, and it was a blast reading about the great Larry Ellison. Larry Ellison's personality comes out in this book. He is a fun, flamboyant, in-your-face billionaire who knows how to enjoy the money he makes. Big houses, sharp clothes, fast cars, and hot women! Oh, yeah, he also built up a pretty good business.
   
   Larry, you're the man!!



3. Okay, so who is this guy Larry Ellison? He's the man behind Oracle, one of the world's largest software companies. Not only is he known for his "battles" with Bill Gates of Microsoft, but also for his personal and professional exploits.
   
   Even though I thoroughly enjoyed this biography, I felt it was lacking something. I'm not sure what exactly, but I walked away feeling Ellison to be some sort of a lone egomaniac, using everyone and everything around him to further grow Oracle - and by extension, him - into even greater success.
   
   Not that there is little biographic value, because there is. His childhood is chronicled, how he left behind his humble beginnings and attained greatness. Had it been any other person, they would perhaps have been forever relegated to a life of poverty, misery, etc. But Ellison overcame that and became a billionaire. So if anything, it is a story of triumph, both in his own life - though admittedly filled with tragedies of divorce, etc. - and in Oracle's.
   
   I would suggest that you read it, but don't make it the sole biography. There are at least a couple of others, one even with commentary by Ellison. Check them out! :)



4. It's a very good book in terms of the history of the computing giants that shaped the world. It kept my attention long enough to dedicate 2 days to reading it cover to cover. As an Oracle programmer, it helped me understand some of the thoughts I had of the company since working with their product since the early 90's.
   
   The author tried the address the book as a novel, skipping around in time and making it difficult to follow. You go from 1977 to 1989 to 1991 to 1984 to 1996 to ... (you get what I mean). Confusing.
   
   This is the type of book that needed to be more linear in timeline or overlapping in timeline, but not arranged the way it was. Still, very enjoyable and worth the read for those that enjoy the behind the scenes action that shaped technology as we know it today.



5. I absoultly loved this book. I am currently recieving my MBA, and it gave me a whole new perspective about how busniess can be, how it can suceed, and fail. Also, Ellisons sotry is realy fabulous, and the author does a great job of interviewing many of Ellison's ex-wives, ex-employyes etc. This gives a very realistic viw of Oracle, and how they felt about Ellison. I started ths book this morning, and I simply could not put it down until an hour ago when i finished it. Great Read!

5 comments about License to Deal: A Season on the Run with a Maverick Baseball Agent.

1. When looking for good sports books, this is the kind of project that should stop you in your tracks. It is an orginal idea, well-written, and, most importantly, holds the reader's interest throughout the entire package. Well done.



2. Despite the fact that the book seems quickly written and is organized rather poorly, Jerry Crasnick offers a fascinating study of the sports agent's life. "License to Deal" causes one to root for the up-and-coming agents and against the behemoths, like Scott Boras, that control so many of the top free agents in baseball.
   
   After reading the book, I have a new understanding of the business behind baseball and the battle for new prospects still developing in the farm systems and high schools. In recent months, Sosnick was in the L.A. media surrounding the signing of Luke Hochevar, the Dodgers' top pick this year. Hochevar's negotiations with the Dodgers were strained when he switched from Matt Sosnick's agency to Scott Boras in mid stream. (See the excellent article in "Baseball America" by John Manuel and Kevin Goldstein on September 9, 2005.)
   
   I highly recommend this book for its fascinating portrayal of Matt Sosnick and his agency.



3. Not the most exciting book out there. But if you like minor league baseball, this book's worth a quick read.



4. This book is not really what the subtitle, "A season on the run with a maverick baseball agent", recommends. It is more of a description of the Sosnick-Cobbe sports agency, Matt Sosnick's biography, Sosnick's business approach, a history of baseball agents, a picture of the cutthroat business, Scott Boras' biography, and a basic how to of the agent business. All this information is randomly spewn about. It is like a picture you look at closely and think that it looks sloppy but when you take a look at the whole thing it is a masterpiece. Read the whole book before you make an opinion.



5. In "License to Deal," author Jerry Crasnick presents the lives and times of sports agents Matt Sosnick and Paul Cobbe, two partners who represent minor league prospects that have a good chance of making it to the majors. With the exception of Dontrelle Willis, most of the players they represent are new draftees preparing to enter the minor leagues who may or may not eventually make it to the big leagues. Crasnick explains the ins and outs of the cutthroat world of representing professional athletes including services offered to clients, proper ethical conduct, underhanded tactics that agents use to steal each other's clients, and factors that lead young athletes to change agents. In the process, he addresses how agents influence the game itself, including how they can roil relationships between players and general managers while contributing to the escalating salaries that increasingly marginalize small market clubs.
   
   Ultimately, Crasnick believes that there are two different types of agents in baseball. The first group includes big name agents like Scott Boras and Jeff Moorad who represent superstars and are primarily concerned with enabling players to obtain a greater slice of the pie from ownership. These agents believe that negotiating the best possible contracts for the game's stars will have a trickle-down effect, leading to better pay and working conditions for all players. Crasnick argues that MLB general managers collude informally to keep salaries from escalating during arbitration hearings, and that agents like Boras and Moorad do their best to combat this. The author notes that noted economist Andrew Zimbalist, consultant to the players' union and author of several books on the economics of baseball, has praised these agents for prodding the league to implement revenue sharing and the luxury tax to help small market teams. In the long run, Crasnick says that these agents combat the owners, who are essentially monopolists, and help the players, who are the real heroes of the game.
   
   On the other side are small time agents like Sosnick and Cobbe who strive to give more individualized attention to prospects before they become famous. Crasnick says that Cobbe views running a small time agency as akin to starting a new insurance company. While selling auto insurance to single men in their 20s may not be the most lucrative business, those customers will eventually want to get married, buy a house, have kids, and plan for retirement. They will want help from someone whom they can trust in order to plan their future finances. As a result, Sosnick and Cobbe tend to look for common ground with the general managers that they negotiate with. They also work hard to develop long-term relationships with their clients, helping them with off-the-field matters that have nothing to do with baseball. Unlike Boras and Moorad, these agents are viewed as the good guys, helping to mold the next generation of stars into not just great players, but great people as well.
   
   The stories that Crasnick tells about clashes between these two different groups of agents are great, but the ones that he tells involving conduct by small time agents that fall into grey areas are even better. As the sports agent world is extraordinarily competitive and cutthroat, Sosnick and Cobbe must be wary even of peers who have similar goals and philosophies that may stab them in the back at any moment. In spite of this, the two partners do a remarkable job of helping their clients and keeping the sport's, and the fans', best long term interests at heart.
   
   "License to Deal" is an excellent read for any baseball fan who wants to learn more about how agents help the unsung heroes of the game. Readers will learn that the popular stereotype that agents are motivated solely to extract money from the game is flat out wrong, and that they do a great deal to help players focus more of their energies on the game. Crasnick should be commended for shining a spotlight on this little-known, and frequently misunderstood, aspect of the sports world.

No comments about Business As Unusual: My Entrepreneurial Journey, Profits With Principles.

5 comments about The Father of Spin: Edward L. Bernays and The Birth of Public Relations.

1. Larry Tye attempts an ambitious view of Edward Bernays but falls short. While his stories are entertaining he fails to draw a connection between his ideas and the results. Frankly, I found Michael Levine's Guerilla PR Wired to be a much better and useful read.



2. Bernays is generally acknowledged as the Father of PR. But, is he also the Father of Spin?

   Tye writes a fascinating biography of this key communications individual, filled with the key episodes that earned Bernays his moniker. From getting women to smoke to getting people to eat bacon, Bernays always seemed to figure out a way.

   But, Tye focuses heavily on these episodes and gives short shift to the implictions and consequences of Bernays's actions beyond fattening the bottom line. While it is true Bernays could not have fully appreciated all the consequences, his relentless drive to serve his clients reveals a man who forgot that public relations means being the conduit between the public and the client, not being another salesman, no matter how clever.

   If you're interested in seeing the modern fruition of Bernays's tactics, then I suggest Michael Levine's Guerilla PR: Wired, which updates Bernays's ideas into the digital age.

   Overall, this book is well-worth reading if you're interested in a man's actions. But, if you're interested in seeing how a man's actions can affect the world, then you might be better off with another book.




3. The book is entertaining in parts and provides interesting information to someone who has no prior knowledge on Bernays. But considering the impact Bernay's ideas & work made on PR and spin and consequently the American way of life, I found the writing style to be rather flippant; and the book, as a whole, skimpy. From the research material available and the interviews which he had conducted, Tye could have written a more substantial if not a scholarly piece, irrespective of his sentiments for Bernays the person. Perhaps, that was not his intention. However, Tye did make a bold claim with his title, and I naturally expected more from his book.



4. Larry Tye takes on a subject that few journalists would regard of savory: the biography of a PR man. One might dismiss PR people as not meriting attention or even toleration. But Tye walks a fine line here because the life of Eddie Bernays has some tension and complexity, and the book makes that clear. He is a worthwhile character study, not just for people in the communications industry, but also those in business more generally, politics, or interested in consumer and opinion issues. As Freud's nephew, Bernays carried around more heritage than most, and how he shoulders that burden creates interest. Bernays also placed himself at the forefront of an industry's development, and that creates another set of issues. The book is fraught with the same conflict that many deal with in communications: are they adding egocentric bias to information, or warping it for vested powers? Lastly, Bernays had a role in helping leaders develop their visibility, but does he stand as a peer at their shoulders? Tye does a great job at making us reflect on these issues in this highly readable book.



5. I enjoyed this book immensely. Tye chronicles Bernay's life and times well. Bernay's is presented as a genius and a demon and the facts support that he was both! If you disagree, read this book; it reveals how there are no real heroes, just good/bad/indifferent PR!

No comments about Six Tycoons: The Lives of John Jacob Astor, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Andrew Carnegie, John D Rockefeller, Henry Ford and Joe Kennedy.

3 comments about On the Brink: The Life and Leadership of Norman Brinker.

1. This book takes you through the life of an amazing man. It shows you how he built his life up from having nothing, to being a very successful business man. On the Brink also outlines Brinkers business strategy so it is easy to incorporate into your own.



2. Norman Brinker expresses his passion and desire for the restaurant business, focusing on his triumph to success. His entire company's management means and ways are incorporated into his book, "On The Brink". A truly outstanding book!



3. Great book and I would highly recommend! Norman Brinker is an awesome man who has overcame many obsticles with dignity and grace.