A Candle in the Dark

A Great Business Book

Obstacles Welcome

How to Turn Adversity into Advantage in Business and in Life

Ralph de la Vega with Paul B. Brown, 2009

Thomas Nelson Publishers

ISBN 978-1-59555-264-8 (Hardcover)

254 pp. plus appendix

 

 

Suddenly separated by officials at the airport from his Cuban family at age ten, de la Vega landed alone in Miami. As soon as he could work, he quickly learned to do jobs beyond the expected. Soon he found himself regularly promoted.

 

Many business books talk about business plan development, but de la Vega includes important steps for a plan. His career demonstrates the effectiveness of his ideas. He’s held many national and international leadership positions.

 

The author says many people dream too small. He encourages readers to hone leadership skills and take calculated risks. He says be authentic, demonstrate integrity and communicate, communicate, communicate. Know your employees and show you care about them. Practice other suggested attributes for entrepreneurial success, such as learning effective public speaking.

 

De la Vegas believes in always doing more than one hundred percent at a job. That philosophy explains his outstanding career. Throughout friendly, readable pages, information about the author’s jobs demonstrates his meteoric rise to top positions in US businesses.

   

 This book joins my list of favorite business and motivational books

   

 

 

Last Days of Old Beijing

The Last Days of Old Beijing, Life in the Vanishing Backstreets of a City Transformed

Michael Meyer

Walker Publishing Co. NY, 2009

ISBN-13: 978-0-8027-1750-4 paperback

344 pp. Includes notes

 

Meyer writes of historical Beijing and present life in poor neighborhoods that are being razed to make way for malls and boulevards. He lives among the soon-to-be-displaced in a hutong (old area with narrow streets and few amenities) while teaching English in a neighborhood school. His portraits of the people show his insights into what makes a neighborhood worth preserving. He compares the rush to modernize in Beijing with other world cities and the long term results, some good, but many negative. Important cultural life and customs are lost as neighborhoods are destroyed, but many people he meets don’t care or understand.

 

The author imparts a sense of mystery about nightly visits by ‘The Hand’ that marks dwellings with the symbol for destruction, but is never seen doing so. He shares the woes and individuals determination to survive, exploring their lives and their important issues. He builds friendship with the Chinese folks he meets.

The author writes in a compelling style that holds readers interest. An unforgettable and important b

Eli Gold, From Peanuts to the Pressbox

From Peanuts to the Pressbox

Insider sports stories from a life behind the mic

Eli Gold, with M. B. Roberts

ISBN 978-1-4016-0436-3

Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2009

Hdbk, 255 pp.

As a teenager, Eli Gold sold peanuts at Madison Square Garden so he could be close to the action he coveted, a job as sportscaster for games. With hard work, help from friends, and lucky breaks, he followed his dream. Over the decades Gold has done play-by-play broadcasting on both radio and TV of national football, national hockey, professional baseball, arena football, NASCAR and various other sports. He’s best known as the Voice of the University of Alabama ‘s Crimson Tide, but also hosts call-in talk shows. He’s interviewed many famous sports figures and political newsmakers.

This book will interest sports fans who recognize the many people Eli Gold mentions. He apparently treats everyone with respect and is much respected in return.

For those not familiar with the sports world and its adherents, the book is a bit boring.

Leslie Chang writes about China's peasant migrations

Factory Girls

From Village to City in a Changing China

Leslie T. Chang, 2008

ISBN 978-0-385-52018-8

Ppbk, 408 pp.

Speigel and Grau, 2009

The largest migration in human history, Leslie Chang says, is the movement of millions of Chinese young people from small villages to the factories of China’s huge industrial cities. Chang met many of these workers and studied their lives during seven years of friendship with them. They are changing China’s culture and lifestyles.

Life as a factory worker is hard but after living in the city these young Chinese are not content to return to their parents’ villages and work in rice paddies. But they have trouble making real friends in the city. And they often change jobs, another new facet of Chinese life.

The factory workers bring lavish gifts home to their parents and siblings. Parents worry about suitable marriages for their wandering offspring. However, they also recognize, for their own survival, the importance of money sent home.

Chang interviewed the ever-present sex-trade workers during her research. They apparently earn far more than factory people. Chinese culture has never typically taught morality but this huge migration further breaks down morals.

Chang also writes of her fourteen-generation Chinese family and the devastation on them from the Cultural Revolution. This ten-year mayhem, unleashed by Mao, nearly destroyed China.

First published in 2008, the book recognizes the economic impact of factory employees. However, reports since the worldwide economic slowdown suggest that many thousands may now be unemployed. Some start small businesses in their home areas, such as tailoring or hairdressing. But many may now be forced back to subsistence farming.

Chang gives us a well-written, readable book that holds reader interest and a major view of life in a country fast becoming the world’s leading economic power.

Knockout Entrepeneur, George Forman

Knockout Entrepreneur

George Forman with Ken Abraham

ISBN 978-0-7825-2208-8 (Hdcovr)

Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2009

 (Nelsonfree) 222 pages

Written in a friendly tone, the author gives some basics about how to start and run a business, but mostly writes a motivational book. George Forman compares his boxing career to business successes throughout fourteen encouraging chapters. He discusses taking risks, persevering, integrity and other important issues for success as an entrepreneur

George Forman is a two times world heavyweight boxing champion. He won when 25 years old and at 44, an age no one expects boxers to win world championships. Forman has also started or been involved in numerous businesses. Famous for George Forman’s lean, mean, fat-grilling machine, (a kitchen appliance I love), he enjoys making money and gives away much of it.

The guidance isn’t greatly different from many motivational business books, but Forman’s tone and comments make it a fun and memorable read. A brief history of his boxing is interesting, even to this non-boxing fan. He also introduces readers to some of his family.

The one question he didn’t answer: why did he name all of his sons George?

Purchasers of the hardcopy can also receive the book as an e-book and in audio format for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nelsonfree division.

Best Business Books

Collapse of Distinction

Stand out and move up while your competition fails

Scott McKain

978-1-5955-5185-6

Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2009

Hdbk, 244 pp.

 

With clear reasons, McKain disagrees with several popular business models, predicting their eventual failure. He explains four Cornerstones for success, starting with clarity about who you are as a business. You must know and always focus on one goal—your purpose as a business: to meet and satisfy customer needs. Your need to profit depends on keeping this goal clearly in mind. The author gives interesting examples of companies who know their goal and of some who wandered off track.

His second cornerstone, McKain tells how to creatively reach that goal. Thirdly, you must communicate your difference from your competition by interesting customers with a ‘story’ they will remember.

The fourth cornerstone hangs on the first three—that customers always have a satisfying experience with your business. McKain shows how to guarantee that path to customer loyalty.

Working out McKain’s concepts isn’t easy, but he makes the task sound totally worthwhile.

The basic concept to never ignore—that your customers know you care about them and their needs.

McKain has written two other highly-acclaimed business books and runs a number of successful companies. He speaks and teaches regularly and is a member of the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame.

THE Secret to JOY!

This Is Your Brain on Joy

A Revolutionary Program for Balancing Mood, Restoring Brain Health

and Nurturing Spiritual Growth

Dr. Earl Henslin with Becky Johnson

ISBN 978-0-7852-2873-8 (Hdcvr)

Thomas Nelson, Inc. 2008

216 pp. plus three appendices

Dr. Henslin states that due to the fall in the garden of Eden people may have damaged brains that result in behavior problems. He says we all need to practice compassion for such sufferers.

The author and his colleague, Dr. Daniel G. Amen, have done thousands of brains scans and find abnormal blood flow in certain areas of the brain in people with anger problems, ADD, ADHD, many addictions, depression, etc. When questioned many of these people remember a brain injury, a serious illness, a blow to the head or some serious trauma.

With proper treatment  (certain medications and herbs) the unhealthy behavior can suddenly change. The author also recommends common sense measures like proper diet, exercise, music, good books, dancing, humor and good movies, sometimes counseling and most of all leaning on God

The best chapter in the book, Chapter eleven The Apostle on Joy: The real secret discusses six practices that lead to joy, a powerful benefit to any reader.

Written in conversational style, the book flows easily. However, lists of treatments for specific conditions can be sleep-inducing unless a section relates directly to readers with that particular problem.

Recommended book a winner

AWARDS Won by Lloyd Jones novel, Mr. Pip

 

Winner 2008 - Kiriyama Prize (Asia)

Winner 2008 - Young Adult Library Services Association Best Books for Young Adults

Winner 2008 - Alex Award - Young Adult Library Services Association

Shortlisted for the 2007 Man Booker Prize

Winner 2007 - Commonwealth Writer's Prize (UK)

Winner 2007 - American Library Association Literary Awards

Winner 2007 - American Library Association  Notable Book

 

The Economist -- "Best Fiction and Memoirs of 2007"

 

The Seattle Times's -- "Great Books of 2007"

NPR -- "Independent Booksellers Pick 2007"

REX, by Cathleen Lewis

Rex

A mother, her autistic child and the music that transformed their lives.

Cathleen Lewis

Thomas Nelson, Inc. 2008

ISBN 978-1-5955-208-2 (IE)

ISBN 978-1-5955-5150-4

Hdbk. 237 pp.

 

 

Cathleen Lewis’s writes with emotion and honesty of the ‘perfect baby’ she expected, who soon developed a brain cyst, blindness and autism. Her struggles to accept Rex’s disabilities and find appropriate treatments were difficult. The book is a gripping and inspiring account of a courageous woman who refused to give up on a child.

 

At age two, his father’s gift of a small piano revealed Rex’s unusual ability—perfect pitch and immediate perfect memory for any music he heard. At his first pounding on that keyboard, he played astoundingly with two fingers on his left and three on his right hand. Developing his gift to play fully with all fingers on both hands required special teachers and years of work by this boy who couldn’t eat solid food, walk or speak, for four to five years.

Searching for answers Cathleen Lewis found faith in God and later, earned an advanced degree to help other autistic children.

Cathleen Lewis and Rex travel worldwide as the boy performs outstanding music. And his mother has discovered another unexpected gift he spreads around, a gift everyone needs. Discover this gift when you enjoy this true story which shows every child has great value.

Book Review, Through the Storm

• Through the Storm
• A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World

• Lynne Spears with Lorilee Craker

• Thomas Nelson, Inc.,2008

• ISBN 978-5955-5156-6
• ISBN 978-1-5955-5207-5 (IE)

• 210 pp. (HDBK)