1 comments about Arts Marketing Insights: The Dynamics of Building and Retaining Performing Arts Audiences.

1. This book was recommended to me by a colleague. In my profession I work closely with staff at many performing arts organizations who really could benefit from reading this book. The author does not simply pontificate, she provides a really fresh look at the challenges and opportunities for increasing audience size, connecting with patrons, improving financial health, website best practices, marketing campaigns, the list goes on and on. Best of all, Ms. Bernstein backs up her findings and recommendations with research and case studies - introducing the reader to methodology that is sure to win over any board of directors skeptical of change. I give this book 5 stars!

No comments about Got Grammar Ready-to-Use Lessons and Activities That Make Grammar Fun! (J-B Ed: Ready-to-Use Activities).

3 comments about Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation (Jossey Bass Nonprofit & Public Management Series).

1. I used the first edition of this book in graduate school in the early 1990s and am using this second edition in current professional research. Both editions are excellent resources for students and practitioners. Recommend highly.



2. I used the 1994 edition of this book in graduate school and it was an invaluable resource in subsequent research. Although the current edition is much revised, the previous edition still stands the test of time. Reasonably priced for what one receives.



3. It's a typical textbook, somewhat dry but a necessity for a class I'm taking. I loved the fact that Amazon was cheaper and faster than going with a textbook provider.

5 comments about True Selves: Understanding Transsexualism--For Families, Friends, Coworkers, and Helping Professionals.

1. 'True Selves' is a unique and excellent book. The book cover says "For Families, Friends, Coworkers, and Helping Professionals".
   
   It is that and so much more. It is a great resource for learning or teaching about trnassexualism. But, it is also a great guide for those who are transgender or transsexual. It covers personal feelings, the feelings of others and also how to transition from coming out to the ultimate step of sexual/gender reassignment surgery. It discusses coming out, hormones, living full-time and covers every aspect of what is means to be transsexual.
   
   I cannot say enough about this book. I would recommend this book be on anyone's list that is transgender or is dealing with a transgender individual.



2. I purchased this book after a close family member announced that he was transsexual. I knew very little about transexualism and was spending hours online looking for any information I could find about it. This book was enormously helpful to me in learning about an experience I knew nothing about. I am encouraging members of my family to also read it as they like me want to understand to the best of our ability how to support our family member. The book is wonderfully organized starting with an explanation of terms (e.g. transsexual, transgendered, transvestite) then moving into a description about what transsexuals typically experience during their lives. Starting from childhood and moving through life stages, the authors provide a thoughtful and thorough explanation of what life often entails for transsexuals. The author's are very clear in saying when experiences are common to men or women, and take every effort to not overly generalize experiences across all transsexuals. The last few chapters of the book provide a helpful overview of the medical procedures some transsexuals choose to do and how and why they may or may not officially change their gender. I wish I could more eloquently describe how thorough and well written this book is but I hope that those reading this review can at least hear in my words how very helpful I have found this book. I recommend it to anyone who wants to understand transexualism regardless of whether or not they personally know someone who is.



3. This book arrived in a good state,very quickly and was most helpful to those who have read it



4. Much like a former reviewer I feel like on could nitpick the book to death however, as a bridge from knowing absolutely nothing about trans people (much like my mother) one I believe could do worse.
   This book was a recommended read for my mother and I by my/our therapist,which was a good call but I still had to explain lots of things myself.



5. While there are several things about this book that disappoint me, specifically the author's apparent inability to call a person by their proper pronouns or names and the idea that people who were abused are not/cannot be transsexual, it's a good place to start as long as you keep in mind that basing your entire opinion on a subject based on the views in ONE book is NOT a good idea.
   
   The book is fairly easy to read, can have it's shining moments and can be a great help to both transsexual and their family and friends alike. It shouldn't be shunned, but it also shouldn't be taken as the Gospel Truth-- it's not, but that doesn't automatically make it worthless.
   
   I would recommend "Trans Forming Families" (I forget the author) over this book, but as a resource, True Selves is still useful. It's a well-meaning book, despite it's (few, but glaringly obvious) flaws, and in my opinion, at least the author's didn't make transsexuals out to be psychotic freaks of nature.

5 comments about The Devil's Bones: A Novel.

1. Jefferson Bass gives us what we expect - again! Living in Knoxville, where all the novels are set, means the locations are easy to recognize. But anyone would have to love the way daily ordinary life becomes a mystery/adventure very quickly. There is no time to get bored. I couldn't wait to have time to read, and was sorry when I finished it. Characters are now like friends, and I can't wait to see what happens to everyone next. Thanks, authors!



2. I sure am glad I didn't give up on these guys after their second novel which was not too great. They sure nailed it this time with a great story and lots of intrigue. Keep up the good work!!



3. Dr. Bill is back again - just as feisty and adventurous as ever. This time he's experimenting with fire - or, more importantly, with how fire affects bones while they are being burned. For those of you who are new to the series - Dr. Bill is in charge of the Body Farm at the University of Tennessee - the first ever forensic farm of decaying bodies. Dr. Bill and his fellow anthropologists study the corpses in different states and circumstances of decomposition to further forensic studies - and in this case, he (and the local police) wants to know about fire. Well, little does he know that you have to fight fire with fire - until it's too late.
   
   Mary Latham was found in her burned out car, thought to be dead by suicide or accident from smoking; a challenge to Dr. Brockton, no doubt. This case coincides with the interesting personal case from his criminal lawyer from Carved in Bone where a beloved relative's remains were not returned intact, per se. Being the only nosy forensic anthropologist around, Dr. Bill gets hired to investigate the crematoriums involved, only to discover that gruesome, atrocious wickedness does exist - and he's found it. Out of his own jurisdiction, and extremely leery of local police after the illegal exploits from his first adventure with them, he decides to call in some favors with the GBI and stay out of the investigation that will be internationally known.
   
   But, in his attempts to stay behind the scenes, Dr. Bill's favorite criminal, Garland Hamilton, escapes police custody on his way to trial, leaving no clues as to his whereabouts. And while this has everyone jumping at shadows, it has them jumping at the wrong ones.
   
   
   This is the third installment in the Body Farm series with dual authors using the pseudonym Jefferson Bass, and I like it. The two are finally coming together with their main character, Dr. Bill Brockton, to bring his humor and intelligence into one person and to the forefront and work it into the storyline. There's a lot of action going on, but enough suspense to keep you going until you can't put the book down. I definitely wouldn't recommend this for the cozy or people with weak stomachs, though. Got to have a pretty strong constitution to handle these descriptions! Good going, and I look forward to the next one!



4. This is our first Jefferson Bass (Dr. Bill Bass and Jon Jefferson) and it was a fun read. We attended a workshop with Dr. Bass as the keynote speaker who is a charming storyteller.
   Dr. Brockton and his friends are in the thick of the infamous GA cremation scandal searching for the remains of a beloved aunt. Two other puzzles are solved by the evidence left in the bones, but the final one almost costs the good Dr. and his assistant Miranda their lives.
   We could have done without the repetitive detailed descriptions of the streets of Knoxville having driven a few when lost to find Butterfly Gap. The dialogue is snappy and pulls the story out of the mundane.
   Writing as a Small BusinessSins of the Fathers: A Brewster County NovelUnder the Liberty OakNatchez Above The River: A Family's Survival In The Civil WarGuns Across the Rio: A Texas Ranger in Old Mexico



5. Dr. Bill Brockton is an anthropologist. Under his guidance the anthropology department at the University of Tennessee went from a little known department to one of the best in the country. Part of their research was done on the Body Farm, a section of land that was used to watch and study how a body decays when exposed to the elements.
   
   Bill was still grieving the loss of his friend and lover, Dr. Jess Carter, but was starting to pull his life back together. Jess was murdered by Dr. Garland Hamilton, one of the county's medical examiners. Hamilton blamed Bill for destroying his reputation when he testified for the defense contradicting his findings.
   
   Hamilton retaliated by killing Jess. For a time Bill was the prime suspect for her murder. When Hamilton's cover was blown, he tried to kill Bill. Time had passed, but Bill was still haunted by the memories. Keeping busy was the only antidote he could come up with.
   
   The Anthropology Department, ie. Bill and the body farm, was currently assisting the police in an investigation. A woman supposedly burned to death when her car exploded. The situation was suspicious and the husband suspect, but he had an airtight alibi hundreds of miles away. To break his alibi they had to figure out how he did it.
   
   While wrestling with one problem, Bill's lawyer arrived with another. He was carrying a box of cremains, ashes of the deceased, that the crematorium claimed was his Aunt Jean. Burt DeVriess, aka "Grease" didn't believe them. The ashes were lumpy and his Aunt Jean's artificial knees were missing. He wanted Bill to do some checking, figure out what was really going on.
   
   Bill agreed to look into the situation. It wasn't something he would normally do, but it would keep his mind off Hamilton's trial scheduled for the following week. Bill would be testifying against Garland Hamilton on two points, the murder of Jess Carter and the attempt on his life. Hamilton hated him with a fervor that bordered on obsession. Bill wasn't looking forward to facing him in the courtroom.
   
   Following the source of the cremains took Bill across state lines and to a sight too horrifying to describe. The crematorium wasn't cremating the bodies. They were stacking them up helter-skelter in the woods behind the property.
   
   Up to his eyeballs in decomposing bodies, Bill received another blow. Garland Hamilton had escaped and it was a good bet that he would be gunning for him.
   
   The Devil's Bones gives us a fascinating look at forensic anthropology and how it is used to solve previously unsolvable crimes. Bill Brockton is as much a police officer as he is an anthropologist. His insatiable curiosity and the need to know is a major driving force in his personality. There were times when the self-reflection and dialog slowed the story to a crawl, but the in-depth look at forensic anthropology balanced it out.
   
   Jefferson Bass is a write team comprised of Dr. Bill Bass and Jon Jefferson. Dr. Bass is a world-renowned forensic, anthropologist and the founder of the University of Tennessee's research faculty, the Body Farm. Jefferson and Bass spin an excellent story with plenty of hard science to back it up. If you're a sucker for CSI, you'll love The Devil's Bones.

3 comments about In Extremis Leadership: Leading As If Your Life Depended On It (J-B Leader to Leader Institute/PF Drucker Foundation).

1. My team and I recently had the opportunity to hear Colonel Kolditz speak at the 2007 Water Rescue Conference. We were so impressed with his presentation that we ordered a few copies for the team when we got back. Once I picked this book up, I found it hard to put down. It is by far the best leadership book I have ever read. I have read dozens of them and picked up some leadership tools from each, but none compare to the valuable lessons to be learned in this book. It made me cognizant of countless improvements that I could make in relation to the way I lead my people. Unfortunately in the public safety business you have to be prepared to deal with internal tragedy. The chapter in this book that covers what to do when internal tragedy strikes will leave leaders prepared for the unthinkable.



2. In Extremis Leadership is a great read! If you have leadership responsibilities, or are in a position to influence people, this book will help you think in new ways about the subject - regardless of whether you are actually leading people in life and death situations. I highly recommend reading Tom Kolditz' latest contribution to the art and science of leadership.



3. This book is not only a riviting read, but the principles of leadership are brought to light in the arena of in extremis which is compelling and informative. The interviews and reports from soilders in combat, fire fighters, free fall jumpers, FBI SWAT teams and even a father caught on the horns of a dilema with his 18 year old daughter bring clarity to the message. It's leadership principles are applicable to all walks of life. I wish I had this information years ago. It is so cogent. Roland Peck, Business Owner.

3 comments about Way to Live: Christian Practices for Teens.

1. This book offers much more than ways to live. It provides a way to survive - for teens, families, youth pastors and lay leaders -by giving those in the trenches of everyday life a practical way to live that puts Christian faith into action. Combining ancient practices of faith with contemporary realities, it offers an invitation for us to try something new, deliberate and life-giving. As a long time youth pastor, I've seen many resources. This one is outstanding. "Way to Live" isn't just a way to live, it isn't just a way to survive, this book offers us all a way to THRIVE.



2. As a ten-year youth minister of a mainline protestant church, I find this book to be a welcome addition to the loads of books available for youth ministry. I've used it as a supplement to a service learning camp, and a year-long confirmation program for older youth (supplemental). We've also done youth gatherings and adult trainings with workshops on the different practices. Each chapter is written by a young person and an adult--including Mark Yaconelli and Susan Briehl, plus a chapter written by Emily Saliers of the Indigo Girls and her father, Don Saliers, a Methodist minister. Each chapter hits on a different daily life theme, and its connection to faith: food, stuff, play, work, time, welcome, creativity, creation, justice, music, etc. It has great stories in it that help process Biblical lessons in today's world, and great practices to live out your faith. My favorite suggestion was a practice of giving up one thing a day for the 40 days of lent, and donating it all at the end of the season. It also has little sidebars with things to consider: "Go through one day paing close attention to how you act toward others. Are you welcoming to everyone? If not, think about why you act as you do and how you might act differently." Use this book if you care about your young people finding a way to live that lives out their faith in grace-filled ways.



3. There are several kinds of books available for Christian youth and youth pastors. First is the "idea book"--full of activities that usually fall flat on their faces without extensive retooling. Second is the "theory book"--books that explore the theology of youth ministry. Way to Live is something relatively new--strong, solid spiritual practices for Christian youth and anyone who works with them. Rooted in Christian tradition, these practices are great for retreats or for the individual youth who wants to go deeper with their faith. It's a good read for adults, too. In Way to Live, church history, tradition, and ancient spirituality are combined with the modern faithful as well as pop culture icons. This book helps make spirituality accessible!

3 comments about The Nonprofit Board Answer Book: A Practical Guide for Board Members and Chief Executives.

1. 
   I really liked this book a lot. It includes sound theory and is practical. And it was an easy read. It has 80 chapters broken into 7 sections as follows:
   
   1. Basic board functions (1-12)
   2. Board structure (13-22)
   3. Selection and development of board members (23-36)
   4. Board and committee meetings (37-46
   5. The board's role as a fiduciary (47-58)
   6. Board-staff relations (59-70)
   7. Organizational change (71-80)
   
   Each "chapter" ended with suggested action steps. And I found them to be very informative. It was very well written, but I thought there were too many chapters. I felt kind of like I was reading an online blog.
   
   This is a VERY practical guide or handbook for board members and executives of nonprofit organizations. It is totally consistent with how things at well-run nonprofits work and/or should work. If you are responsible for running a nonprofit organization and and want to know how to do things the right way, then get a copy of this book and take advantage of what it has to offer. It will definitely prove to be helpful unless you are already an expert on the subject matter. 5 stars!



2. Excellent book for all board members, including paid staff. Everything you need to know is in there. Many practical ideas.



3. This book was fantastic. Our organization really needed to make upgrades to our board but did not know where to begin. This book gave us excellent ideas to the many questions we had plus many excellent ideas that we did not even think of. I highly recommend this book to every organization with a board to utilize as a tool.

5 comments about Overcoming Our Racism: The Journey to Liberation.

1. There is no greater healing for the spirit than the healing of the divisions within ourselves. This is the huge task taken on deftly by Derald Wing Sue in Overcoming Our Racism. The book is addressed directly to white people though it is beneficial to anyone interested in improving race relations. Sue calls to task those white people who are unintentional racists, those people who have unconsciously bought into and act out racist ideas in subtle ways. He does an excellent job of outlining what white privilege is and how all white people benefit from it. In relating the pain people of color suffer, he illuminates the pain that is caused for white people when they are confronted with their whiteness. Most white people are in denial of their "whiteness" because of the unpleasant truths they would have to face. Sue shows that all of us (meaning white people too) defining ourselves as racial/cultural beings is instrumental to overcoming racism.

   Throughout the book, Sue states that the (white) reader might get angry, feel guilty or experience unpleasant feelings. He encourages the reader to go through the process to the end for the rewards are great. Sue explains that while people of color have soul wounds connected to racism, white people do too. Racism keeps white people from seeing what is real. While people of color have prejudices, white people have the power to use their prejudices to oppress others. In oppressing others, they create for themselves an undeniable advantage that they keep in denial. And they deny themselves of the experience of being all that they can be by denying this right to people of color.

   Instead of seeing a person of color for who he or she really is, a white person tends to rely on the false perceptions they form from the media and their environment. Most people of color are forced to interact with white people on a daily basis, while most white rarely deal with people of color on an equal-to-equal basis. While most white people do not actively engage themselves in getting to know or understand people of color, most people of color understand white people as a matter of survival.

   Racism is defined in distinct and concrete terms. For people of color, institutional racism is obvious. For white people, because they benefit directly from institutional racism, they are complacent about doing anything to change it. Sue's book is divided into two parts. Part One clearly defines the problem while Part Two outlines how to overcome the problem. The keys to changing the effects of racism lie in the hands of white people. It will take a great amount of inner work on the part of white people for there to be real change. Overcoming Our Racism is a handbook for doing this work.

   Derald Wing Sue is an Asian American professor. He moves the focus of racism from being black/white to being a truly multicultural discussion. The subtitle of this book says it all: Overcoming Our Racism: The Journey to Liberation




2. I came to America from a country that was so violent it made the worst black ghetto look like a national park. My family was abused, tormented and casted aside like street trash.
   
   Now I come to America and I hear voices crying out against racism. I'm inclined to agree, as I've experienced racism. However, the American definition is different. It basically means "Whitey is evil. He holds everyone down. Everyone else is ok, but white people are bad"
   
   Nice to see that the people who march against racism are able to acknowledge all forms of racism. Oh wait...they don't.



3. This is one of the best books ever....I noted that a women said that we complain about racism in this country and do not truly understand what discriminate is...I am grasping that she was European America(i.e. White Ethnic, White, Fair Skinned whatever you want to call it)....I ask you this have your people ever been inslaved for nearly 400 years, have your people ever had attempts of racial/cultural genocides...Is it deeply ingrained in society that your people are lazy, inferior intellectually, etc....You would not even begin to understand, Typical White Person Syndrome...Don't Walk around stupid your whole life....
   FYI...This is just the tip of the iceberg, I would love to intellectually cruise your stupid ideals, you don't begin to know sufferings...Continue to read some books and maybe you can something from them...



4. As a white male working in a student affairs office at a very diverse community college it is important that I take a good long look at myself to be sure I am serving our students the best way I can. This book is incredibly helpful in doing that. Did I get pissed off at things Mr. Sue talked about? Yes, of course. But he does warn his readers that they will get angry. I only got angry because I didn't want to believe what he was saying was about me, but it is. This book taught me a lot about myself, which I think is the point. I highly recommend this book to anyone that is willing to keep an open mind and is willing to go through some self evaluation.



5. Overcoming Our Racism is an excellent perspective by Dr. Sue who is Asian. It seems that only certain minorities are always called on as using the race card. Sue points out clearly that we have lived and still live in a racist America. A selective perception and sutble type of racism reminicant of "Jim Crow", but nevertheless present in American attitudes towards people that are not Anglo. Sue, a psychologist, presents a very informative view of racism in America. The book is used as part of a graduate course in Universities that teach cultural diversity. To many the surge of Senator Obama to a significant lead in the Democratic Primary election may seem like a turning point for Americans and it may well be part of a history in the making. Nevertheless, the attitudes described by Sue are not part of everyone's perception, but still those attitudes are present and doing damage to human kind.

No comments about Active Learning: Creating Excitement in the Classroom (J-B ASHE Higher Education Report Series (AEHE)).