5 comments about American Dreamer: The Life and Times of Henry A. Wallace.

1. This is undoubtedly one of the most impressive political biographies I've ever read. I have to confess from the outset (with a tad of embarrassment) that I pretty much had no idea who Henry A. Wallace was when I picked up this book. What shocked me most after reading 'American Dreamer' was how a man that was so revered and despised in his time has been so conveniently left out of any present discourse on that era.

   In 'American Dreamer', Hyde and Culver give a well-written and balanced account of the life on one of the most enigmatic and progressive political leaders that America has ever produced. Why his name has never come up in years of taking history courses amazes me- especially in light of the fact that his thoughts on the cold war, which he tried desperately to steer us away from, turned out to be quite prescient.

   Henry Agard Wallace was Secretary of Agriculture for eight years, Vice President for four and Commerce Secretary for a short time before his forced ouster. Wallace ran for the Presidency in 1948 on the Progressive ticket, lost, and then left public office. What Wallace left us during this time was a legacy of innovative leadership, genuine public service and a virtual revolution in agriculture.

   Wallace eschewed the world of dog eat dog politics and preferred appealing directly to the public than orchestrating back room machinations. He was honest, direct, practical and always put the public good above his own wants or ambitions. In short, he had everything that seems to be lacking in the American political spectrum today.

   As I read the book I couldn't help but think what would have happened if Wallace had remained Vice President (instead of Truman) and therefore become President at Roosevelt's death. It seems to me that the worse excesses of the cold war and the red scare could have been avoided and that US policy in just about every area may have been put on a more evenly keeled tack for the future (it would have been undone later, but hell, it's a start).

   Wallace was often accused of being an impractical dreamer- but if what he accomplished in his years of public service were the deeds of an impractical dreamer- then we can certainly use more of them.




2. A biography of one politician written by another could have been a nightmare this fall, but this one is a dream. Culver and Hyde have done a masterful job of telling a great story about someone who has been overshadowed by the giants of the era--Roosevelt, Truman, Stimson, George Marshall, etc.--but who certainly was one of the great minds of his generation. Henry A. Wallace was not only a cabinet member and vice president, he was a journalist, scientist, philosopher and theoretician. Culver and Hyde have captured all the aspects of his public life in an interesting, readable style. This may be more than you thought you ever wanted to know about Henry A. Wallace, but it's worth the time to learn about this fascinating man and his times.



3. This is an extremely well written book. Th most amazing thing about it is that is corrects some of the conventional wisdom about Henry Wallace that more "popular" historians of this era like Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough use without questioning.

   A remarkable book about a remarkable man.




4. This book is very readable and engaging. In parts, you'll learn more about corn and agriculture than you ever thought you would from a political biography, but it isn't dull. American Dreamer gives great insight into many facets of American life from the 20s through the 50s, from the collapse of agriculture to the red scare (among the many things Mr Wallace so accurately predicted or feared). Most importantly American Dreamer throroughly introduces one to Mr Wallace, his faults and greatness.
   
   Even if you're not too interested in Henry Wallace (or vaguely know of him), if you're interested in American history or politics of that era, you'll be fascinated as I was.



5. Doesn't anyone here know how pathetically naive this man was? I mean he wanted to pursue a policy of appeasement with mass-murderer Joseph Stalin - much as Neville Chamberlain had done not a decade earlier with Hitler. Thank God Roosevelt had the sense to remove him from the Vice Presidency.
   
   Don't waste your time; the man, however "idealistic" (meaning he didn't listen to anyone else), is a historical nonentity.

No comments about Mikimoto.

1 comments about George Soros: An Illustrated Biography of the World's Most Powerful Investor.

1. This book is a graphic depiction of the life of notorious speculator and political dilettante, George Soros. It describes how he rose from the depths of being a Nazi collaborator in Hungary during the Second World War, to breaking the Bank of England by relentlessly shorting the Pound Sterling and making a billion dollar profit in the process.
   
   The book also attempts to explain Soros' ridiculous investment philosophy, reflexivity, as detailed in his unreadable tome, "The Alchemy of Finance." This financial worldview begins with the premise that everyone's perception of the world is flawed and that our perceptions are affected by our actions in a reciprocal manner (so far, so good). Investment manias arise based upon incorrect perceptions of reality. When one notices that such a mania has developed, he or she should join the crowd, profiting upon the rally, and then take an opposite position when the futility of the trend's continuation becomes apparent. Soros claimed that he knew when to exit a trade because his back began hurting! However, if everyone's perceptions are flawed, our own perceptions are flawed too -- including those of Mr. Soros. How was Soros able to profit from this philosophy while suffering from the same flawed perceptions as eveyone else? Inside information! Soros was convicted of insider trading in France. Regardless of all the verbiage, insider trading must be entered into the calculus of Mr. Soros' real trading method.
   
   When Soros retired from the financial scene, he established the Soros Foundation to promote an international, open society and support many ultraliberal causes. However, the financial reporting of where and how the funds have been employed has been murky, at best. I suppose it's open society for all but the secretive Mr. Soros.
   
   This cartoon book is well done and makes for a quick, fun read about an irascible scoundrel -- our modern day Daniel Drew!

5 comments about Devil in the Details: Scenes from an Obsessive Girlhood.

1. I really liked this book. A good read about growing up, religion, family and OCD. I just saw that the author has another book, and I'm ordering that one right now! Good read!



2. Jennifer Traig uses a distinctive comic voice throughout this book that makes it very easy to read. The author describes the trials and tribulations of growing up with OCD, and her anecdotes are both poignant and funny. She provides a non-clinical point of view, describing the impact of OCD on her everyday life. I would recommend this book and am looking forward to reading more works by Traig.



3. Intrigued by the excellent art design on the cover of this book, I recently enjoyed stepping into the mind of author Traig as a young girl struggling with a mental disorder amongst other pains of growing up. She writes with a very sardonic tone, which suits the serious subject quite well, making it a fun read instead of a potentially dreary one. The only aspect that seemed slightly out of place was how she didn't really wrap the memoir up with any sense of finality. There was hardly any sense of the author in the present tense, aside from a few mentions of her religious life currently. Perhaps the intent was to create a snapshot of her as an adolescent, but it seems like an abrupt ending to the book regardless. Would definitely recommend to anyone interested in reading a sharply written memoir.



4. Is it wrong to fall over laughing when reading a book about a person with severe OCD? If so, I'm in some deep cosmic trouble, because this was hilarious.
   
   "Scenes" aptly describes the book because, as Traig herself makes clear, her battles with the disease were sporadic. Plus, the book has scattered through it various (also very funny) quizzes, proofs, sample SAT questions, and so forth that give insight into the OCD mind. Somehow, Traig helps us find humor in the horror of bloody, chapped hands, anorexia, and hair-pulling. It's almost a hat trick; I'm not sure how she did it.
   
   Traig and her family, as presented in the book, are immensely likable and weather the bizzare with good humor. There are colorful portraits of them as well as of Traig; no member of her immediate family is there as a mere prop to her own story, which is a real strength in the book, something that helps make it more substantial than many of the more "me-centric" memoirs.
   
   Religion plays a heavy part in this memoir, something that many readers may not expect, but it was the key piece of Traig's disorder. I personally found it fascinating to read about, as so many elements of Orthodox Judaism were unfamiliar to me, and, again, I thought it gave the book a good deal of substance. Some readers may be put off by this element of the unfamiliar, while others may find it intriguing (and it certainly makes this book stand out from any other OCD memoir). The book becomes not just a "book about a girl with OCD" but also a more profound look at a girl coming to terms with her identity and faith. And again-- to be able to make all of this side-splittingly funny reveals rare talent indeed!



5. I just finished reading Jennifer Traig's incredibly engaging memoir. Who knew a book about a serious condition- OCD, more specifically srucpulosity- would be so entertaining, yet endearing? I was constantly reading parts of the books outloud to my husband, who was wondering why I was giggling.
   Traig is both a gifted and clever author as she gives us an inside peak into a world of extreme religion and cleanliness.
   The story was captivating, the writing wonderful, and yes, the devil is in the details. If you are considering buying this book, definitely buy it. Put a tissue on your head and read it!!

4 comments about Miracles Happen: The Life and Timeless Principles of the Founder of Mary Kay Inc..

1. Mary Kay tells her story, from being a poor little girl with a mother who worked outside the home full-time and a sickly father to being a saleswoman who never felt appreciated by her male bosses. Learn the motivational story behind Mary Kay Cosmetics. This book completely expresses what a wonderful, amazing woman Mary Kay was. Very inspirational.



2. This is a must have book!
   
   Mary Kay has it right - Faith, Family and Career! You can't go wrong with this philosophy. This book really helps put things in perspective.
   
   Highly recommend this book to everyone!



3. Mary Kay Ash lived her philosophy of god first, family second, career third. I had the honor of meeting her as a Sales Director with Mary Kay and was priviledged to attend one of her leadership workshops at headquarters in Dallas, Texas. She was a brilliant leader. An inspiring teacher and most of all a woman who walked the talk. Her series of books when read closely reveals a business plan that is bold and forward thinking. It is simple in its application and most of all her plan is doable. I would advise women who want to become consultants with Mary Kay cosmetics to read all of her books. Listen carefully to the plan. Follow the plan, never ever giving up. She used to tell us that "its always too soon to quit!" Great book with great advice from a woman who made it to the top and beyond..........



4. This is a true story about how Mary Kay started her business, as well as how she lived her life. However, I could not do all that selling - I couldn't do any at all, but obviously it didn't bother her at all. It is inspiring and encouraging to know that she put God first, family second, and then career. It is also awesome to know that she treated her employees so good, that there is a long waiting list to work at her company headquarters, and that people can come there just to get away from it all.

2 comments about William Randolph Hearst: The Later Years, 1911-1951.

1. WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST: THE LATER YEARS, 1911-1951 presents the second volume in a biography series which follows Hearst's life, and is a pick for college-level holdings which already have the first volume, as well as for college-level collections strong in media or journalism history. It surveys how Hearst built an empire of newspapers in nineteen of the largest cities in the U.S., and how his final forty years strengthened his hold. Previously unavailable letters and manuscripts, along with Hearst's own powerful political editorials, make for a powerful testimony not just to Hearst's life, but to the evolution of the newspaper as a whole, and its political impact on American lives.



2. He was bigger than life and one innovative person ...maybe the first gorilla marketer whether you agreed with him or not. Great read.

1 comments about From the Ground Up: It's Not Just Business!.

1. This is a must read book. Once I started it I could not put it down. Mr. Hoich has overcome adversity that would paralyze most mortal beings. Not only did he survive but he thrived and flourished beyond most people's wildest dreams. Mr. Hoich built an empire starting out with one lawn mower but his success delves well beyond the financial empire that he created. Best of all, Mr. Hoich gives back to his community and so many organizations in a multitude of ways and now through sharing his message for all. He seems to be a man that truly practices what he preaches which is indeed a rare quality in a greed inspired world.
   
   Mr. Hoich's common sense, easy to read message is applicable to the entire population, including but not limited to: teens, tycoons, corporations, housewives, those dealing with substance abuse recovery or loved ones dealing with the fall out of addictive behavior, college students and anyone wishing to be inspired with his profound message of hope.
   
   I cannot recomend this book highly enough and I only wish Mr. Hoich could get his message of hope and inspiration out to the world through the mass media.

5 comments about The Davis Dynasty: Fifty Years of Successful Investing on Wall Street.

1. I personally don't care for dry investment books. I read for entertainment. This book provides a great combination as it is a biography of a family steeped in money management and also gives tips of how they were able to grow their fortune.

   The book traces the investment history of Shelby Davis to his son to his grandsons. Shelby had family money through his wife and starts investing shortly after the crash in '29. Like many people, I assumed the market has been a somewhat continual climb with some setbacks. This books traces the history showing the many periods of lackluster stock value growth and how most Americans shunned the stock market for bonds. Quite a difference from today.

   The original Shelby was a miserly value investor who never spent an extra dime. His investment hits were insurance stocks when no one liked that industry and some prudent investments in Japan, also mainly in the insurance industry. By leaving these investments to compound for years, Shelby built a great fortune. But the hidden engine behind this vast growth was the use of margin to leverage his returns. The original Shelby eventually grew his fortune to over a billion dollars in value.

   Shelby's son Shelby did not work with his father until late in his life but eventually became a money manager of some renown also. His philosophy was similar but different and his large money winners tended to be from other industries. The book ends with the sons of Shelby Jr. taking over their father's money management firm and establishing their own identity.

   Along this 70 year history, you will learn about the markets and the different stages of development over the years. A significant amount of time is spent in the 60s and 70s as both of the Shelby's were investing at that time. I strongly recommend this book if you have interest in the market and its history.




2. This is one of the better investment books on the history of post-WWII stock investing. While there are a number of absolute classic books on the 1920s and earlier periods (Lefevre's "Remininscenses of a Stock Operator", Galbraith's "The Great Crash", Brooks's "Once in Golconda", to name just a few), there aren't as many great books on recent history. This is one of them, however.
   
   The Davis family, starting with Shelby Collum, is used by the author as a vehicle to traverse the history of the stock market from WWII through the late 1990s. Followers of mutual fund investing in the past 25-30 years are probably more familiar with Shelby Davis the younger, than with his father Shelby Collum. But it was the elder Shelby that made the family fortune. His is one of the great fortunes ever created strictly through long term investment and is a story of buying extreme value and holding for very long time periods. It's also about venturing into uncharted waters -- like being one of the first to invest in Japan.
   
   This theme is carried forward to the story of his son, the well-known former portfolio manager of New York Venture Fund. Shelby the younger came of age in the go-go sixties and picked up some bad habits. The savage bear markets that followed chastened him and forced him to revert to a style of investing closer to his father's in the mid 1970s. The tensions between them created a sort of competition with the son posting a tremendous record with his mutual fund vehicle, New York Venture.
   
   The relationship between father and son would be best described as "semi-estrangement." It took Shelby's sons, Andrew and, particularly, Chris to reconcile their father and grandfather's differences. The human story is interesting, and the elder Shelby was quite a character. I found the chapter on Chris's "apprenticeship" with his grandfather fascinating -- perhaps the best part of the book. In short, Shelby the elder is getting old and wants to retire and turn his portfolio over to a younger generation for management, but because of the bad feelings he doesn't know how to approach his son. And it's clear that he greatly admires the record his son has build with NY Venture. So he talks grandson Chris Davis (now the co-manager of NY Venture and Selected American Shares) into inventorying his portfolio. Chris then brings his father into the picture and the two of them work long hours reading through the 5 decades of trades and holdings. The portfolio at that time was close to $1 billion.
   
   The story ends with the younger Shelby's semi-retirement and turning the reins over to sons Andrew and Chris, and Ken Feinberg, who continue with this style of investing. The mutual funds and separate accounts run by the Davises typically have portfolio turnover rates less than 20%, often less than 5%. This means they buy and hold, and hold, and hold. However, it's the price they pay for stocks that really juices their returns. The pigeonhole mentality at mutual fund rating agencies like Morningstar don't adequately describe Davis funds because of this. The Davises buy deep value, but after a stock recovers from whatever temporary trauma caused the bargain price, they continue to hold as long as the company meets their growth expectations. So Morningstar, for example, will call them a "blend" fund, which seems to say absolutely nothing about such a distinctive methodology as the one the Davises follow. This book is an elucidation of the emotional discipline and intellectual process behind this style of investment. Both the book and the investment style are highly recommended by this reader.



3. This book is listed as Elementary Reading for the [...] Hidden Gems Newsletter. It provides great historical reading about the Davis family. Before the reading the book I had no idea who the Davis family was. I did not even realize we have the Davis Fund as a choice in our 401k at work. The fund has proven returns and been around for years. This was a great book to read for any beginning investor.



4. This was not a bad book, but I was hoping for more info on how the Davises evaluated stocks for purchase. There is a lot of background family drama in this work which didn't really interest me, but did illustrate what kind of personalities Davis and son had. For the most part, the elder Davis bought insurance stocks and held for the long term--the best way for all of us to invest(the long term, that is. I don't know much about insurance stocks). This book wouldn't be my first choice but anyone that turned 50 grand into 900 million without ever adding additional capital is worth a look.



5. This book is about The Davis strategy - the result of five decades of trial, error, and refinement, that worked its way through father, son and grandsons, and each generation tweaked it and tuned it to fit the era. The 10 basic tenets remain the same: avoid cheap stocks; avoid expensive stocks; buy moderately priced stocks in companies that grow moderately fast; wait until the price is right; don't fight progress; invest in a theme; let your winners ride; bet on superior management; ignore the rear-view mirror; stay the course.
   
   This book is both a biography and the analytical work devoted to the stock market. If you like such a blend, I would recommend the books by Roger Lowenstein: "Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist", "When Genius Failed: The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Capital Management" and "While America Aged: How Pension Debts Ruined General Motors, Stopped the NYC Subways, Bankrupted San Diego, and Loom as the Next Financial Crisis". The books by Roger Lowenstein are much better than "The Davis Dynasty" in terms of the depths of the analysis, as well as when it comes to liveliness and variety.
   
   In addition to this book, I can also recommend my favorite title on investing "The Only Three Questions That Count: Investing by Knowing What Others Don't" by Kenneth L. Fisher.

5 comments about The Accidental Zillionaire: Demystifying Paul Allen.

1. It's hard not to envy Paul Allen. A son of Oklahomans who moved to Seattle, he went to a private school, met Bill Gates, helped start Microsoft and has had billions of dollars to play with almost ever since. OK, so when Microsoft first went public, he only had a hundred million or so to play with. He's been sued for sexual harassment, owns a big chunk of a hot movie studio and is still an ordinary slob. Allen and his family refused to cooperate with the author, so nothing is straight from the horse's mouth - at least not that horse. The author shows admirable self restraint for the first several chapters, but really pulls the lid off later in the book. Allen comes off looking like a junior level IT nerd who won the lottery, a weirdly fascinating, odd guy. The book is easy enough to read, though it relies mainly on secondary sources and press reports, and is repetitious, disjointed and inclined to skip important information, such as dates. But, if you want the gossipy side of the Microsoft story, We suggest this as your vacation reading.



2. A fast read. However, this book is more akin to a compendium of previously published magazine articles. Consequently, that makes this oeuvre a $27.95 term paper. After reading the book Paul Allen is not demystified in any way as the title purports. I would recommend that you do a net search on Mr. Allen. You will reach the same level of enlightenment while saving yourself a bundle. This book should not have been published as it is repetitive and uninformative.



3. This seems to be an objective look at Paul Allen. In this book I found out that if it was not for Mr. Allan, Bill Gates would have moved Microsoft to somewhere south of the Golden Gate Bridge. Paul Allan gave Seattle a good deal on the whole. By the Space Needle he demonstrated the power of money. Great wealth can make some dreams come true. To balance this out Seattle got Microsoft, just on the other side of Lake Washington (not the Bay Area). Let's keep our fingers crossed that Paul Allen does prove he did not just stumble across the idea/vision that created Microsoft and comes up with another big idea. We could all benefit from it.
   I subtract one star, because all this information collected in one place in this book invades the privacy Mr. Allen seeks. More privacy could make the diffrence. After all he got his first big idea when the spot light was not on him yet.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   p



4. I picked up this book at a garage sale recently. Although it is an unauthorized biography it gave me a good glimpse of Paul Allen's life. Fascinating just doesn't describe it. A worthy read into the journey of a man who has affected our existence.



5. I think that Mr. Allen is one of the most mysterious men in the world. This somewhat explains. Wasn't great, wasn't horrible. I got thru it without a problem.

2 comments about Crossing the Road to Entrepreneurship.

1. It is rare to find a book where the author shares his journey to success in such a personal and honest manner. I found Bert's account of the challenges and triumphs that make a successful entrepreneur to be inspiring. I wish I had read it earlier in my entreprenuerial career.



2. This book was inspirational on so many levels. First, it is a great tribute to Mrs. Wolstein, who was Mr. Wolstein's partner at home and at work. This is itself a tribute to marriage and stability and family that few businesspeople talk about (or seem to take seriously). Second, it is a reminder of the value of work--to keep plugging away at things and keep looking up . . . eventually you will get there. Third, its a reminder that luck matters--but luck combined with skills and attitude matter the most. Wolstein got lucky by being a developer at a particular time in the suburbanization of America--but he had the smarts and the experience to make that moment work. Finally, it is a story of leadership. Wolstein didn't do it all himself. But he chose those who worked with him over many years to accomplish the great things he did. He knew how to get their best, and he knew when to part ways. He led by example and there are a great many people out there working in his footsteps.