Product Description
A series of essays by Twain on reading and writing. "How to Tell a Story," the title piece illuminates Twain's own intuitive story-telling genius, as he describes the three elements -- the pause, poker-faced pseudo-innocence, and the performance of a pretended identity -- that shape his writing. Even more intriguing, he looks at his celebrated dramatic performances of his written work, describing his struggle to perfect the delivery of Jim Blaine's story of his Grandfather's Ram (from Roughing It), and comparing the end result to the original written version. Other pieces include "Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offenses," as Twain takes Cooper to task for committing, "in the restricted space of two-thirds of a page [of The Deerslayer] .... 114 offenses against literary art out of a possible 115." In the process of his scathing attack, Twain again gives us a clear view into his own writing, objecting above all to the fact that Cooper's characters do not sound or act like real human beings.In other pieces, Twain defends the virtue of a dead woman, tries to protect ordinary citizens from insult by railroad conductors, and, in "The Private History of the 'Jumping Frog' Story," translates his celebrated story first into the "original" French, and then back into English. A delightful collection of Twain's wit and wisdom.Amazon.com Review
This book is worthy of being called a classic not only for thewonderful writing, but for the presentation: How to Tell a Storyand Other Essays is a facsimile edition of the original firstedition published in 1897 under the direction of Mark Twainhimself. It is but one volume in the wondrous 29-volume Oxford MarkTwain. The essays, which, besides the title essay, include thedevilishly brilliant "Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offences," "TravelingWith a Reformer," and others, were written a century ago, but theybristle with energy and wit. At times we take the great Twain forgranted, but this volume of essays serves as a wonderful reminder ofwhat a fine and funny writer he was. ... Read more

Product Description
The Management of Technological Innovation (MTI) is one of the most important challenges facing businesses today. Innovation has become the fundamental driver of competitiveness for firms of all sizes in virtually all business sectors and nations.

The first edition of this book has become one of the most popular texts for students of innovation and technology management. This new edition sees David Gann and Ammon Salter join Mark Dodgson as authors, drawing on their combined experience of 60 years of researching and teaching MTI. It combines the most relevant theoretical analysis with contemporary and historical empirical evidence to provide a comprehensive, yet concise and readable, guide to the challenges of MTI.

By explaining the innovation process the book reveals the broad scope of MTI and its importance for company survival, growth and sustainability. It describes how MTI has to be managed strategically and how this is successfully achieved by formulating and implementing strategy and delivering value. Chapters provide frameworks, tools and techniques, and case studies on managing: innovation strategy, communities, and networks, R&D, design and new product and service development, operations and production, and commercialization.

Based on robust analysis, the book provides a wide range of empirical evidence from a huge diversity of case studies, with around fifty case studies newly written for this edition. It analyses MTI in all parts of the world, in companies large and small, and in services, manufacturing, and resource-based business sectors.

This new edition has been fully revised and updated to reflect the latest teaching and research, and to ensure its continuing relevance to the contemporary world of MTI. It will be an important resource for academics, students, and managers throughout the world, is a recommended text for students of innovation and technology management at postgraduate and undergraduate level, and is particularly valuable for MBA courses. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An excellent teaching text
I have found this book to be an outstanding text to use in teaching postgraduate students.This book follows on from the authors' previous work, the outstanding 'Think, Play, Do'.The Management of Technical Innovation has several key strengths that make it particularly good for teaching.The first is that it distils state-of-the-art innovation research into a number of useful frameworks.The second is that it contains a wealth of case studies which effectively illustrate the theoretical issues.Finally, it has a nice introduction to my personal area of research, innovation networks. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Paleoindian Book
I was really looking forward to this addition to my early American library.Fortunately I "Looked Inside" at the Table of Contents and Index and was very surprized to find no mention of the Atlatl, the major hunting weapon used by Paleo people the world over. Predating the bow and arrow by thousands of years. Not only artifacts but wonderful petroglyphs in the US Southwest.A simple but most effective weaponstill used by the Aboriginal people in Australia's Outback as well as well as South American Indians for large fish in the Andean lakes and by Alaskan natives for seal.
Maybe I missed something.
Barry VanWinkle

An Excellent Synthesis in Southeastern Archaeology
This book is a series of papers initially presented at a symposium during the Southeastern Archaeological Conference.It summarizes what was known at that time (1993) about the Paleoindian and early Archaic periods in the Southeast; that is, the time when the first ancestors of later Native American cultures first settled in what is now southeastern North America.

The book covers the entire southeastern region, with site reports and syntheses from Florida out to Arkansas and north to Virginia.It presents a good picture of what we know of the first human settlers in this region, including their believed use of "staging areas" - that is, places the first settlers could learn about their new environments before moving outward into more marginal territory - as well as the environmental factors, such as stone outcrops and plant and animal communities, that would have affected patterns of human settlement.

My only complaint against the book, like so many others in archaeology, is that it does not address what is known or what could be known of the cultures themselves beyond the merely physical.That is, there is far too much attention paid to environmental and technological factors at the expense of attempts to understand what these first settlers may have been thinking, or what their cultural systems or worldviews may have been.However, this alone does not mar what otherwise is a well-written and comprehensive synthesis.

I enjoyed the book, and recommend it to anyone interested in Native American cultures and archaeology.

The Paleoindian and Early Archaic Southeast
Very useful collection of papers and summaries of papers on paleo and early archaic Americans in this region.The thought provoking theories on settlement and hunting practices that evolved along with the changingclimate make this well worth reading.I keep my copy handy and refer backto it often. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A charming story about learning to appreciate and remember the wonders all around us
Written for young people at a second to fourth grade reading level, The Mystery of the Tree Rings is a simple "mystery" book about two children, Max and Hannah, taken on a nature trip by their grandfather to find a ponderosa pine that's nearly eight hundred years old. As they hike, Max gets lost and takes a rest next to a gigantic pine tree. A mysterious voice whispers to Max, telling him about the secret life of Rosa the ponderosa. When Hannah and Grandpa find Max, he has learned the wonders of ancient trees, perhaps the very same wonders that Grandpa has written in his private journal. "'Grandpa, our measuring sticks are just like tree rings. Each mark tells how much we grew,' Hannah said the next morning back at the farm. She was studying the measurements they had made on their sticks. 'Right, Hannah,' Grandpa said. 'Like a tree's rings, the marks on your stick record your personal growth. Today, I'm giving you your first journals, too, so that you can record other things. Write down all that you saw and did yesterday in the Black Hills. It will help you remember our adventures.'" Simple, colorful illustrations and a final blank, lined page for the child to write in to start their own journal round out this charming story about learning to appreciate and remember the wonders all around us.
... Read more

Product Description
This is a hardcover set that helps readers understand the historical and cultural background of the books of the New Testament.Brimming with lavish, full color photos and graphics, each book will walk you verse by verse through the books of the New Testament. ... Read more

Product Description
"We saw 39 boxcars loaded with Jewish dead in the Dachau railway yard, 39 carloads of little, shriveled mummies that had literally been starved to death; we saw the gas chambers and crematoria, still filled with charred bones and ashes. And we cried not merely tears of sorrow. We cried tears of hate."

He was the soldier in the jeep with the big Star of David, driving from foxhole to foxhole, sometimes under fire, bringing faith and friendship to fighting men. David Max Eichhorn, a Jewish chaplain in the U.S. Army's XV Corps, saw action across France and into Germany until VE-Day and beyond. He was there at the Battle of the Bulge, participated in the liberation of Dachau, and became embroiled in the behind-the-scenes controversy that led to the execution of Private Eddie Slovik.

Eichhorn's letters show us a devoutly religious man trying to cope with the perils of combat and the needs of his fellow soldiers. They are filled with amazing stories and poignant insights as Eichhorn tells about combat experiences, relations with Christian chaplains, encounters with Jewish refugees, and impressions of the defeated Germans. Once he was ordered to hold a Yom Kippur service in a beleaguered French town that was still under attack. It was a tough assignment, but after 350 battle-grimed Jewish soldiers showed up he wrote, "I tell you unashamedly that, for the first time since I have been in France, I broke down and cried." Yet that experience paled before the liberation of Dachau, where he organized the first Shabbat service for the survivors, or the fall of Nuremberg, where he and a handful of Jews held a ceremony of thanksgiving at the site of Hitler's infamous rallies.

Eichhorn also writes of French villagers hiding Jews, of the dangers faced by chaplains, and of the place of Jews in U.S. Army ranks. Throughout he vividly conveys the experience of war and how it altered forever a small-town rabbi-a man of faith and courage who never fired a gun in combat.

This book is part of the Modern War Studies series. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Compelling...
Rabbi Eichhorn's letters and diary entries portray a family man, soldier and rabbi. The book gives you not just a memoir of the war, but insights into his personal life (letters to his family), his own journals (detailed and much more frank about the war), and finally, reports to various Jewish agencies and the Army (the most disturbing ones of all). How he managed to experience all of this, and still retain his sanity and faith is astonishing. He is a man I wish I could have met, and I respect him highly for all that he did during his life.

A soldier-rabbi's wartime odyssey
"The GI's Rabbi: World War II Letters of David Max Eichhorn" is edited by Greg Palmer and Mark S. Zaid, and includes an introduction by Doris L. Bergen.The book brings together not just his letters, but also other documents that illuminate the wartime career of Rabbi Eichhorn, who served as a chaplain in the U.S. Army.His service included time in the European combat zone.

Other texts interspersed among the rabbi's letters are excerpts from his 1969 unpublished autobiography, as well as letters he received from family, friends, and colleagues.Altogether these texts create a vivid portrait of his travels and service.Also included in the book are photos that span the rabbi's entire life, including his wartime service; a glossary of Yiddish and Hebrew words and phrases he uses in his letters; an index; and an epilogue by coeditor Zaid, who is also the rabbi's grandson.

The letters and other texts cover the rabbi's travels in France and Germany, his encounters with important military leaders, and the living conditions he experienced in wartime.The book is full of interesting details about his duties as a chaplain.He discusses the horrors and inhumanity of war, as well as examples of kindness and courage that seemed to restore his faith in humanity.The personal touches on his letters to his wife and children are charming and sometimes humorous.

This is a marvelous book and a fine tribute to a man who, in his own words, strove "to be a good soldier and a good rabbi" during one of the most critical periods in American and Jewish history.Inspiring and educational, "The GI's Rabbi" is an outstanding contribution to both U.S. military history and Jewish studies.I strongly recommend this book for both academic and general audiences.

An intimate perspective of the war
This book captures an individual perspective of World War II from someone who was intimately involved. It provides glimpses that historians and even many of the contemporary books did not. It's also an easy book to read -- like reading letters from your family, only these letters are not just about personal matters but about matters of general interest and international importance. A good book to read, no matter what your age, especially in these times. ... Read more

Product Description
Praise for Counterfeiting EXPOSED

"This book is the bible on anticounterfeiting.It is everything a company or individual needs to enlighten and protect themselves from this ever-increasing crime."
–– Frank W. Abagnale
author of Catch Me If You Can and The Art of the Steal

"This book tells you absolutely everything you need to know about the trade in fakes and what to do about it ––and then adds a bit more.It is immensely detailed, thoroughly researched, and well set out.Above all, it is readable and the ideas and information flow in an appropriately structured way. My copy will get dog-eared very quickly."
––John Anderson
Chairman, The Global Anti-Counterfeiting Group ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A handbook for businesses trying to understand how counterfeiting works
I recently finished Counterfeiting Exposed, Protecting Your Brand and Customers. Unlike Knockoff, The Deadly Trade in Counterfeit Goods, which is a readable introduction to the subject, Counterfeiting Exposed is more of a handbook for businesses trying to understand how counterfeiting works, the damage it does to a brand, and how to stop counterfeiters.

Counterfeiting Exposed includes a lot of useful information, including the names of service providers and tables showing the return on investment that a company can realistically achieve with an anti-counterfeiting program.

I had a couple of quibbles with the editing, though. References to the Virgin Group's "crossover from airlines to music" (page 33) might come as a surprise to anyone who followed the UK punk scene in its heyday. The authors also quote conflicting figures for Proctor & Gamble's counterfeiting losses, at one point saying P&G was losing $300 million a year in China, in another saying the company was losing $150 million a year, overall. And many of the claimed counterfeiting losses are stated as a matter of fact, without any supporting data, which detracts from their credibility.

These criticisms aside, Counterfeiting Exposed covers a lot of ground and is worth a look if you're planning a program to protect your brand.

Practical steps to protect against fraud
If you think your product is immune to counterfeit, think again and read this book. It provides practical steps you can use to protect against this dangerous international problem.

It is very insightful and thoughtfully written. ... Read more

Product Description

This unique book explains the theory behind peer-led team learning, offers suggestions for successful implementation (including how to write effective group problems and how to train peer leaders), discusses how to evaluate the success of the program, and answers frequently asked questions. This comprehensive and versatile book covers a wide range of topics. For anyone interested in learning about general chemistry.

Product Description
Eyewitness Fritscher, the lover of Robert Mapplethorpe, breaks the trance of received gay history. In this timeline archive of art, sex, obscenity, gender, and gay mafia, 21st-century readers will get up to speed fast on the serious fun of who did what to whom when and why. In the Titanic 1970s, longtime Drummer editor Fritscher added erotic realism to the magical thinking of Drummer readers wanting a magazine that made newly liberated sex seem possible and accessible. Based on internal evidence in Drummer, journals, diaries, letters, photos, interviews, recordings, and newspapers, this ultimate insider s guide to the Rise and Fall of Castro and Folsom Streets is a risky ride that brings back what a thrill it was to pick up your first issue of Drummer. Fritscher s frisson anchors San Francisco s wild Gay Lib history on the clear chronology of the legendary monthly Drummer. Academia meets pop culture! Fritscher is the Ken Burns of Drummermagazine. Fritscher has done the research work most academics won t do thus ensuring that historians, critics and anthropologists will cut and paste with delight for years to come. Fritscher reads gloriously! San Francisco Chronicle ... Read more

Product Description
Over the last two decades new methods for investigating the venous system in the lower limbs have brought a fresh understaning and transformed many aspects of management. However, it is not always easy to decide which of the many sophisticated techniques is most suitable for everyday use. This book succeeds in providing a comprehensive practical guide on the diagnosis and management of venous disorders, deep vein thrombosis, and oedema in the lower limb. The volume is arranged in three interrealted parts and written by internationally recognized authorities on the subject. It is lavishly illustrated with color photographs and explanatory diagrams. ... Read more

Book Description
In a land where fear rules and storytelling spells death, only one bard's imagination can end the tyranny.

Here, as black-clad armies terrorize the countryside, Toshar and his three companions must follow a trail of stories to the source of the moon's dimmed light. A gripping and epic adventure rich with universal truth.

Winner of 5 awards, including a New Mexico Book Award and an IPPY Gold Medal from the Independent Publishers Book Awards ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Join This MoonQuest!
Anyone familiar with the work of creativity and writing coach/teacher Mark David Gerson knows his devotion to the art of storytelling and his belief in the power of stories to open us up to the magic that is waiting to reveal itself in our lives.

"MoonQuest" is Gerson's own intricately and powerfully received vision of the magic of storytelling, a rollicking fantasy adventure and a heartwarming affirmation of family and friendship.It is an enchanting story within a story of the mission of Toshar and his devoted companions to save their homeland of Q'ntana and to rekindle the lifegiving light of the moon, leading them--and us--to the nearly forgotten wonder that connects us all to each other and to the transcendence beyond ourselves.

Gerson constructs a universe as richly textured and compellingly detailed as any better known fantasy author I could name without ever losing sight of the shining truth that is leading his characters on the journey to save their world from evil dominion and the certain doom that would follow the loss of the blessed tradition of storytelling magic that made their world in the first place.

Any reader who believes in the merit of such a crusade--or who just enjoys an intriguing and exhilarating magical tale, would do well to join this "MoonQuest".

Dan Stone
The Rest of Our Lives

"FANTASTIC!"
As a young girl, I always loved sci-fi, stories of outer space, re-runs of Twilight Zone, etc.
But there is nothing to compare with The Moonquest by Mark David Gerson.He is to be highly commended for his creative mind, his wonderful characters and his ability to make it all come to life on paper. His words truly paint a picture! I am proud to own this book. It is available on Amazon books.I reccommend it highly for all libraries and book stores.
Sincerely,
Irene Brodsky
Teacher of Poetry
Brooklyn College City University of New York
Author of Poetry Unplugged (outskirts press)

Keeping This One
I read a lot of books. I usually read them, make some notes about them in my journals, and then pass them on to other people, especially other writers.This wonderful book, MoonQuest by Mark David Gerson---I'm keeping it.

what I thought of The moonquest
I had a very hard time putting this down. I hadn't read a fantasy in a very long time--This book, to me is symbolic of the second coming. I felt the hope all along that the 4 who see would conquer the prevailing evil in their world by the return of the moon just like the return of christ. the 4 have to use hope and trust to bring M'nor back to their world. I enjoyed the story and the characters--hated the kings men from the get-go.

Posted for one of my reviewers....
The MoonQuest by Mark David Gerson

I loved The MoonQuest, it had everything a great book has; fantasy, the ability to transport you into the book and Mr. Gerson has really captured my senses with his amazing detail.

The story line of The MoonQuest had me from the very beginning, I loved every minute of it and I am now a huge fan of Mr. Gerson. This was the first book I have ever read from him and he is just amazing at holding my attention with the twists and turns around every corner... IT WAS AMAZING! He earned 5 stars and more with this novel!

Reviewed by Sarah for Book Reviews By Crystal
... Read more

Product Description
The authors argue that the effective leaders of the future will be those who are able to share responsibility, build positive relationships and offer stakeholders - teachers, parents and students - an opportunity to work together to improve their schools. The book is based around four key areas of concern: the changing context of leadership, leadership and school improvement, building leadership capacity, and future direction and implications. In each section, the authors discuss current theories and issues, and put forward alternative ideas and perspectives.
... Read more

Product Description
This is the perfect tutorial for advanced-level users who want to optimize their DOS system to make their computers run faster, more efficiently, and with fewer problems.

• Provides extensive coverage of DriveSpace, Microsoft's new disk compression utility
• Includes a discussion of MS-DOS 6.22 Step-Up upgrade and a complete DOS command reference
• Disk contains a pop-up directory finder, smart disk-copy program, an updated virus detection program and associated database, as well as utilities

Customer Reviews (1)

A fantastic reference book to DOS 6.22!!
This book, in my humble opinion, is perhaps the best guide out there for anyone who wishes (or needs) to learn more about DOS version 6.2 (and 6.22). Although not geared towards the first-time user, the book nonetheless does not swamp the reader with much technical jargon, as do many others of this type. Well done!! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

A Mixed Bag
There were parts of it that I loved, like his description of Florence in Chapter 7.It made me want to move there.There were parts of it that shocked me, like what happened to his wife and her lover.There was a lot of it that bored me because he spent so much time cataloging every occult historical site, every bas relief on every building, every inlay in every courtyard in Europe and America.I guess somebody has to do it.Also, he has the annoying habit of referring to himself in a way to make you think there are two people involved, but it was him referring to himself from the standpoint of another part of himself.I've never encountered this before.I had to ask a friend who had read this book what was going on.

There is a lot of occult information scattered throughout the book if you can bring yourself to wade through it. If you are really into the occult and want to know all there is about a lot of things or have a need to know where every occult historical site is, and its meaning, I recommend this book.I am going to keep my copy in my library for reference because I feel there could come a time when I may need some of the information that is in it, but I can't bring myself to read every word of it all at one time.

There aren't Words but there are Thoughts
Words cannot possibly do this Work justice. It has changed me. Completely.
Take what you want out of it.

A Fascinating Account of the Seeker
Mark Hedsel has written an intriguing account of his journey in his "Zelator." This remarkable book holds full of gems and insights as one will discover new knowledge that lies within.

This book will surely takes the reader to the experience the mysterious knowledge as well the esoteric path. In this work, one can see the keys to unlock the ancient mysteries and knowledge.

With little over eight chapters and roughly 460 pages as well the included fascinating pictures, this book is tough to read but well worth the read.

For any devoted esoteric seekers of the truth and knowledge, I would highly recommend this book.

Worthy of Contemplation
Mark Hedsel had given a gift to seekers in this lovely book.Depending on where you are in your own journey, the Zelator will seem a rambling account of a man's journey through life, or as a cornucopia of esoteric clues and signposts.As another reviewer has pointed out, Hedsel gently points the seeker in different directions but leaves it to them to follow up.Thus has ever been the esoteric path.I've read this book three times now. I'm sure I will read it many more, discovering something new each time.Highly recommended.

Most Excellent book
This book is fantastic and contains a wealth of esoteric knowledge that will keep you dipping into it time after time.

It deals with the esoteric wanderings of Mark Hedsel as he goes on a pilgrimage for higher knowledge.His journey has him travelling, mostly through Europe, visiting places of esoteric significance.

The topics touched on really cover the smorgasboard of esoteric knowledge, but Hedsel usually just gives you snippets that will set you on the path.

David Ovason provides copious amounts of footnotes (over one hundered pages) at the back of the book, expanding on areas that Hedsel touches on in the text.

As time rolls on I'm beginning to see this book as very similar to Fulcanelli's "Mystery of the Cathedrals" in that it is somewhat of a puzzle that the avid reader needs to come back to time and time again to decode.

It is well worth the price of admission and will launch you on your journey into esoterica and aid you in your quest for higher knowledge. ... Read more

Product Description
Contributors include:

Elizabeth Alexander
Julia Alvarez
Bruce Bawer
Rafael Campo
Thomas M. Disch
Frederick Feirstein
Dana Gioia
Emily Grosholz
Robert Samuel Gwynn
Marilyn Hacker
Rachel Hadas
Andrew Hudgins
Paul Lake
Sydney Lea
Brad Leithauser
Phillis Levin
Charles Martin
Marilyn Nelson
Molly Peacock
Wyatt Prunty
Mary Jo Salter
Timothy Reid Steele
Frederick Turner
Rachel Wetzsteon
Greg Williamson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

much-needed rebuke to complacent orthodoxy
This is a fine riposte against the free verse orthodoxy that has dominated the thinking of lazy academicians and hipsters for decades. How many ignorant sneers from these "fundamentalists" have I heard over the years? Hey, if you can't write a good sonnet or villanelle yourself, don't knock those who can. And if metrical poetry ain't your thing, great--it's a big world--plenty of free verse for those who want free verse. The idea that formal verse ever disappeared, however, is something of a myth (perhaps self-serving in the case of the so-called "New Formalists"). Strong metrical poets have appeared in every generation of American poets, from Robinson and Frost to Ransom, Francis, Winters, and Cunningham to Nemerov, Wilbur, and Hecht. Also, many acclaimed contemporary free verse poets started off writing formal verse (e.g., W.S. Merwin, James Wright, and Adrienne Rich). It's out there, and it always will be, because the challenge of it will always engage some writers--although few will ever be up to it. Of those poets born in the 40s and 50s collected in this volume, the most outstanding seem to me to be Timothy Steele, R. S. Gwynn, and Dana Gioia. The anthology is uneven but it provides an excellent introduction to contemporary verse that should send the reader off in search of collections by the best individual poets. (If you want a really scathing attack on academic orthodoxy, check out Gwynn's _Narcissiad_.)

great collection
I am both a fan of formal poetry and free verse, but it always seemed like contemporary poets only wrote in free verse. i couldn't find any modern formal poetry. that's why this collection was such a wonderful little gem to find. some of the better poets born after 1950 are included here.

Excellent
New Formalism was long overdue, and this volume surveys it admirably.Recommended.

New Formalism still has some ground to cover
"Rebel Angels" showcases many contemporary poets who may be praised for working in traditional forms in an up-to-date idiom, but who may also be chided for inefficient workmanship.Meter and rhyme, as Dana Gioia has pointed out, have been in decline for decades.The New Formalist poets have made a valiant effort at reestablishing meter and rhyme, but unfortunately their own competence in traditional forms is in some question.There are exceptions:Timothy Steele, while he sounds too much like Richard Wilbur on occasion, is the best of the lot, with Bruce Bauer, Charles Martin, and Brad Leithauser runners-up.The rest suffer deficiencies in craftsmanship, sometimes serious ones.The revival of formalism has much ground to cover.However, despite these reservations, the book provides a good starting point for those interested in contemporary, formal poetry.(The committed reader would do well to check out the original volumes by the poets mentioned above, particularly Steele.) ... Read more

Product Description
What is innovation? How important is innovation in business? How can we use it to succeed? In the last 150 years our world has been transformed--largely due to innovation. Our parents were born into a world where television had yet to be invented, and there was no penicillin or frozen food. Our great grandparents began life in a world with no light bulbs, cars, telephones, or airplanes. This Very Short Introduction looks at what innovation is and why it can affect us so profoundly. It examines how it occurs, who stimulates it, how it is pursued, and what its outcomes are, both positive and negative. The book shows that innovation is hugely challenging and failure is common, yet it is essential to our social and economic progress. Mark Dodgson and David Gann also consider the extent to which our understanding of innovation has developed over the past century and how it might be used to interpret the global economy we all face in the future. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A light introduction to innovation
One of the questions that has perplexed the economist for centuries was the fact that even though the natural resources seem limited, and the human population keeps expanding, we don't seem to be getting poorer nor the life more difficult. In fact, the exact opposite is happening: short-term economic downfalls notwithstanding, we have all been getting richer and richer. Even the poorest people in most developed countries live better by many measures than royalty did just a century or two ago: we have more food, better health care and access to contraptions and gadgets that could not have even been conceived just a generation ago. The answer to this apparent paradox is rather simple: all this improvement comes primarily from innovation. Human innovation has been the primarily driving force behind many of the most dramatic improvements in our standard of living, as we have learned to get more and more out of less and less. The question remains, however, what exactly is innovation, and this very short introduction attempts to give a concise and informative answer to it.

One of the foremost virtues of this book is the number of interesting and insightful case studies of innovation over the past few centuries. Almost a whole chapter is dedicated to Thomas Alva Edison, and this is particularly welcome since this iconic inventor has been slipping from the public conscience in recent years.

However, despite all these interesting case studies and stories of great inventions, there doesn't seem to be a cohesive meta-narrative that would join them into a unified whole. From the theoretical standpoint there is no grappling with the understanding of what innovation is on a very fundamental level. On the other hand, from a purely practical standpoint there is also very little in this book that will guide someone who wants to become an innovator. Parts of the book read like an unapologetic puff pieces for innovation in general and they lack critical reflection.

Despite its flaws, this is an interesting book on innovation that is suitable for someone who just want some casual introduction to the subject. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

(Trans)Formed through Praising the King
In chapter one, "Praise the Lord: The Psalms as Praise," author Mark Futato notes that even though praise is their dominant theme, the Psalms leave plenty or room for lamentation, and in fact instruct readers how to move from lament to praise.Futato introduces his theme of the psalms as instructive, which he develops through his understanding of the over-arching theme of the Kingdom of God.

Futato, a Semitic language and literature expert, rightly understands that we can properly understand emergent themes only as we understand the literary genre in which we find them; in this case, that of poetry.In "Open my Eyes: The Psalms as Poetry," Futato describes the literary form of the Psalms in order to set the reader up for the question that frames chapter three, "The Abundant Life: The Psalms as Instruction (Part 1)".In answering the question, "Why did God give us the Psalms?" Futato replies, quite convincingly, that the first two psalms form a "tight unit;" they function together as an introduction to the entire Psalter, namely that they introduce the salient Psalmic theme of how to achieve blessedness or well-being in all aspects of life.Psalms one and two introduce the concept of blessedness and the rest of the Psalter develops it.Showing that in Scripture the concept of torah, or instruction, is found in two places, the five Books of the Psalms and the five Books of the Law, Futato describes how the Psalms instruct-such as delight in the Lord, obey the Lord, and meditate on the law, just to name a few.

In chapter five, "The LORD Reigns: The Psalms of the Kingdom," Futato returns to the idea that Psalm two's theme, that the Lord reigns and is king over creation, is the dominant theme of the entire Book.He asserts that the rest of the Psalms develop this theme through instructing the original readers to live by faith and through worship, often with little external evidence, for the arrival of their Messiah.

In chapter six, "Blessed is He Who Comes: The Psalms and the Future," Futato shows how the theme of expectation is developed in the Psalter, whereby the faithful might not only wait for the Coming Messiah but might do so with great hope that he will reign visibly and righteously.Futato shows how the many Psalmic sub-themes urged original readers to expect the "One to Come," the very same one who would say, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." Here Futato nicely ties together his work: the Psalms teach original readers and modern ones alike how to live abundantly as they await the return of the King.

This work is solid.While some might shun its accessible style as academically low-brow, others will appreciate its academic and devotional worth.Futato marshals his keen understanding of literary analytical theory to produce a work that considers original concerns while applying them to modern readers.His understand of the Kingdom of God as Scriptural meta-theme informs his view that the message of the Psalms is holistic rather than fragmented.Some readers may balk at the book's lack of overt christo-centrism, but this can be reconciled with Futato's view that it is within the Kingdom of God rubric is Christ to be centrally located (and elevated).This volume is sure to find its way into student libraries and onto devotional reading lists for years to come.

Sometimes Insightful, but Improveable Effort
Futato is a respected Old Testament scholar who has devoted a great deal of his scholarly efforts to studying the Psalms.This work is a popular level treatment that seeks to explore major themes in the psalms and how such themes impact on our lives today.

There are two strengths in particular of this book which I found quite helpful and insightful.Attempting to identify book-wide themes in the Psalms can be daunting because on the surface, the 150 psalms that make up the book of Psalms can appear disjointed and randomly presented as products of multiple authors writing in different time periods.Futato does a very good job of arguing for a continuity in the psalms that favors the view that the 150 psalms were logically sequenced and that the whole book of Psalms can be organized into 5 'sub-books'.By establishing this kind of structure, Futato succeeds in getting a handle on the entire book and approaching major themes logically within a reliable interpretive framework.

In particular, Futato's argument that psalms 1 and 2 represent an introduction of sorts to the whole book is persuasive and quite helpful.The best part of the book, in my view, was his treatment of Psalm 2 and his argument that many of the major themes of the entire book of Psalms can be found in Psalm 2, which shouldn't surprise us if Psalm 2 (and 1) constitute a book-wide introduction.

Futato also spends a good deal of time getting into Hebrew poetical styles and functions that are heavily evidenced in the psalms, and how such literary devices factor into interpretation and theme extraction.Futato, in my view, made some insightful points in this section but also at times seemed to be reaching too far in his efforts to fit the psalms into neat literary constructions for ease of interpretation.

The other weakness is that while the book does attempt to bring Christ into the picture of the psalms, it is questionable whether Futato really explores this theme sufficiently.The Psalms, like all of Scripture really, ultimately have Christ and His redemptive work as their focus.Christ can be found in the psalms not only through specific prophecies and quotes, but also through larger redemptive and eschatological themes that were not explored to as great a degree as I believe are warranted.

Lastly, the book had quite a number of grammatical mistakes in it that result too often in awkward sentences.Future editions, should there be any, need to deal with this problem.

Overall, a good effort that attempts to extract legitimate and relevant themes out of the psalms for modern day consumption, but an effort that can be improved upon. ... Read more