The Butterfly Hunter: Adventures of People Who Found Their True Calling Way Off the Beaten Path

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Interesting but a little too muchdetail on not much for me ...

Inspiring Stories of People Living Their Callings

Amazing people = Amazing book

Makes you think -- and great fun too

Get a life...read this book

The Butterfly Hunter: Adventures of People Who Found Their True Calling Way Off the Beaten Path
Chris Ballard
Manufacturer: Broadway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Motivation & Self-Improvement | Business Life | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Job Hunting & Careers | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Guides | Job Hunting & Careers | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Motivational | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Happiness | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0767918681
Release Date: 2006-04-18

Book Description

Is there really such a thing as a “true calling” and if there is, how do people find it?

Do we each have a dream job that we are, by nature or nurture, uniquely meant for? To answer this question, Chris Ballard set out to talk to people who found work they love way off the beaten path. The Butterfly Hunter is a rollicking narrative of what he discovered, and reveals insights the rest of us can use to find passion in our work.

The Butterfly Hunter begins its roundup of quirky characters in unusual professions with Spiderman Mulholland, a former Marine, who rappels to suicidal spots on sheer building faces to assess damage or make repairs. (And yes, that’s his legal name.) Through Spiderman, Ballard learns that one can find a calling by following one’s wildest idiosyncrasies. Along the way he learns the history of window-washing, why it is that some people enter risky professions, and the best way to jump off a 230-foot building.

His adventures continue as he meets America’s top lumberjill, an NFL kicking coach who has never kicked a ball in his life, a MacArthur genius who’s spent his life in remote jungles chasing butterflies, and the movie trailer voice-over artist known as the Voice of God.

These ten characters each reveal an aspect of the search for a life’s work, and reaffirm for Ballard that we, too, can discover a calling if only we look in the right place. As with true love, there aren’t seven steps to finding it, but The Butterfly Hunter teaches us what it looks like when it’s real.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting but a little too muchdetail on not much for me ..........2007-02-20

The stories in this book are interesting, ten of them, but didnt hold my interest like some books like this. It to me is like an academic self help book. It is interesting in the stories of what some people have found to do, so not a total waste by any means but a little too much on the research side for me. Okay read but not one to keep you up all night.

Inspiring Stories of People Living Their Callings.......2006-11-16

This is a book of case studies about ten people who are living their callings. I really love that it is not a self-help book, but a sort of "here's how to recognize a calling when you see it" book. It really gives me hope that one can find a calling, and it could be absolutely anything.

I particularly loved the way the information built throughtout the book, with research on career, calling, jobs being incorporated and developed within each of the vignettes.

I have recommended this book to at least 10 people since reading it, and plan to buy it for the local libraries.

I highly recommend it as an alternative to books that give alot of advice about careers, etc. It really seems to affirm the idea that you have to go with what you love.

Amazing people = Amazing book.......2006-09-14

Chris Ballard is actually a family friend and I was lucky enough to meet him personally before I read his book. He is a great guy and his humorous personality really comes out in his writing. I started to read this book when I flipped it open to the chapter where Chris meets the "movie preview guy." After only a few pages I was hooked and read the whole thing cover to cover. Chris's character descriptions are what I looked forward to every chapter. The way he described people in a way that I had never read before was eye-opening, I wanted to know how he would describe me, what intersting traits would he pick out and examine. I am just starting college so I am on the beginning of my search for what I want to do in my life, this book gave me great insight to how some people have found thier dream job in unconventional ways. Not to say that I will drop out to become a butterfly hunter, but that I will pay close attention to my personality and choose a path that best suits it. I highly recommend this book.

Makes you think -- and great fun too.......2006-08-11

This is a perfectly delightful book: Ballard's descriptions of his subjects and their offbeat careers are amusing and lively. But he clearly respects the people he writes about, no matter how eccentric some of their choices may seem, so I never got the sense that he was laughing *at* them -- they come across as well-rounded human beings whose common characteristic is a passion for the work they do.

But the book isn't just a collection of interesting portraits. His main point (at least to me) is that what distinguishes a mere job from a "calling" is the worker's commitment to it. When asked, most of his subjects described their work not as "a job" but as "this is what I do." In some instances, a person took his/her passion and transformed it into a unique profession, while others are distinguished not so much by their line of work (e.g., industrial psychology, entomology) but by their individual "take" on it. Their stories will get you thinking about what YOU do, what relationship (if any) it has to your job, and whether there isn't a way you can make the two coincide.

Get a life...read this book.......2006-05-07

As if I wasn't already feeling beaten down by my run of the mill job (i.e. - paper pusher, BA) with a Fortune 500 company, then I had to go and pick up The Butterfly Hunter. This book, as the subtitle states, is about careers found off the beaten path. Among them are: a dude who paints fake eyeballs, a chick who makes her living throwing axes and wielding the "hot saw," and a wheelchair-bound guru of placekicking. Fascinating folks, and Ballard relates their stories with warmth and humor. I wish he'd spent a little more time detailing his own career path (from door-to-door vacuum salesman to staff writer for Sports Illustrated) but other than that this book delivered 100%. The Butterfly Hunter hasn't inspired me to quit my job just yet, but it does have me listening a little harder for that true calling.

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Progressive Thinking Required!

Successful Career and Life Planning
Stephen G. Haines , Jayne Haines , and Brenda Pittsley
Manufacturer: Crisp Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business Life | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Guides | Job Hunting & Careers | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1560525622

Book Description

This book takes the pragmatic strategic planner's approach to life and career planning. Author Steve Haines helps the reader develop a life plan by looking backwards from where they hope to be to where they are now and then identifying the steps that are needed to reach that goal.

Customer Reviews:

Progressive Thinking Required!.......2004-07-15

This book is yuck! Too basic. It depends on the reader to "form a vision for Personal and Professional Success" out of a set of very simple questions. There is not enough reading material for the reader to properly answer the questions. Therefore, the poor reader is left alone 'reaching for the stars' for answers, which regrettably, will be WRONG!

1) The author expects the reader to "convert strategies into action, by relying on support from family and friends!" How many families in the world are qualified enough to patiently sit down with the reader over a year and professionally take the time to plan your future?

2) Consider the premise, "learning how to think backwards from the future to achieve your goals"...think about it; use common sense; and could this statement get any more ridiculous?

Worse, the author expects you to buy additional products! What a rip-off! It is proper to charge for additional products beyond the scope of this book but it fails in that regard. This is a third-rate, insincere and delusional-material effort that will only discourage you. I will never purchase another book by this reckless publisher.

Book Description

Financial engineering, a process of formulating creative solutions to problems in finance, plays a vital role in enhancing capital market efficiency. An interesting innovation in recent times has been the use of profit-sharing contracts by Islamic banks. In conventional finance, derivatives and commodity futures are innovations that could be of use to Islamic banks. This volumes explains these innovations with a view to learn from different experiences.

Book Description

This Elibron Classics book is a facsimile reprint of a 1885 edition published in Paris.

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Agricultural Bibliography of Jordan, 1974-1983: Selected, Classified & Annotated (Middle East Science Policy Studies)

Manufacturer: Ithaca Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Bibliographies & Indexes | Publishing & Books | Reference | Subjects | Books
Agriculture | Bibliographies & Indexes | Publishing & Books | Reference | Subjects | Books
General | Agricultural Sciences | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0863720161

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AGRICULTURAL BIBLIOGRAPHY OF JORDAN, 1974-1983: SELECTED, CLASSIFIED & ANNOTATED
A.B. (ed.) Zahlan
Manufacturer: Ithaca London
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IWKYL0

Book Description

Discussions of the geographic transformations wrought by capitalism generally treat corporations as the primary agents of spatial change. We hear of billions of dollars flowing here, factories moving there, venture capitalists opening up new markets, and workers having to "take it or leave it." Yet labor too is increasingly thinking and acting geographically, whether by struggling to impose national contracts; building regional, national, or international links of solidarity; or engaging in debates over local economic development. This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the emerging discipline of labor geography. Combining innovative theoretical analysis with empirical case studies from around the world, Herod examines the spatial contexts and scales in which workers live, organize, and work to address particular economic and political problems. The first book-length text of its kind, this is an indispensable resource for anyone interested in working-class life, workers' organizations, and the contemporary dynamics of capitalism.

Labor Geographies: Workers and the Landscape of Capitalism. (Reviews/Comptes Rendus).(Book Review) (book review): An article from: Labour/Le Travail

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Labor Geographies: Workers and the Landscape of Capitalism. (Reviews/Comptes Rendus).(Book Review) (book review): An article from: Labour/Le Travail
David A. Zonderman
Manufacturer: Canadian Committee on Labour History
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B0008DH9TO
Release Date: 2005-07-31

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Labour/Le Travail, published by Canadian Committee on Labour History on March 22, 2003. The length of the article is 1208 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Labor Geographies: Workers and the Landscape of Capitalism. (Reviews/Comptes Rendus).(Book Review) (book review)
Author: David A. Zonderman
Publication: Labour/Le Travail (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 2003
Publisher: Canadian Committee on Labour History
Page: 333(3)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Atomic and Molecular Spectroscopy is a wide-ranging review of modern spectroscopic techniques such as X-ray, photoelectron, optical and laser spectroscopy, and radiofrequency and microwave techniques. On the fundamental side it focuses on physical principles and the impact of spectroscopy on our understanding of the building blocks of matter, while in the area of applications particular attention is given to those in chemical analysis, photochemistry, surface characterisation, environmental and medical diagnostics, remote sensing and astrophyscis. The Fourth Edition also provides the reader with an update on laser cooling and trapping, Bose-Einstein condensation, ultra-fast spectroscopy, high-power laser/matter interaction, satellite-based astronomy and spectroscopic aspects of laser medicine. Important references are also brought up to date.

Book Description

Handsome Cambridge dropout Mark Callender died hanging by the neck with a faint trace of lipstick on his mouth. When the official verdict is suicide, his wealthy father hires fledgling private investigator Cordelia Gray to find out what led him to self-destruction. What she discovers instead is a twisting trail of secrets and sins, and the strong scent of murder.

An Unsuitable Job for a Woman introduces P. D. James's courageous but vulnerable young detective, Cordelia Gray, in a "top-rated puzzle of peril that holds you all the way" (The New York Times).

Customer Reviews:

An Unsuitable Book for P D James.......2007-07-28

James who is most famous for her books of Inspector Dalgleish, takes time to create a female PI in 1970s London. This book which was written in 1972 and later revised by James an set in 1977, should have been set in 1937. By the time this book was written, Agatha Christie had written ten Miss Marple books and the Avenger's Mrs. Peel had been a spy for eight years. Cordelia Gray's character is so much out of the thirties, and the 'young' people she meets seem to be part of the 'lost generation' from between the wars.

James' late 1970s London, seems never to have heard of the 1960s or The Beatles or Carnaby Street, etc. I'm not english, but, as an example, how many young people in 1977 went 'punting' on the Thames around Cambridge. You would think that it was something for 'old' people to do. And the french woman, Isabel, is something out of the 1920s, with her rich Papa back home lending her money and the occasional Renoir (as small one!) to hang in her rooms.

The story itself is interesting, a sort of locked room suicide that turns out to be a homicide. She even gets in a few digs at Dalgleish (she had written five of his novels by then) and what a 'fuss pot' he was for details. But the book just hasn't aged well like Christie, and seems to be done by a 'hack'. Too bad.

SHADES OF GRAY.......2006-08-08

Despite its rather mundane and unalluring title and the name of her lead character, Cordelia Gray, PD James has concocted a fairly riveting tale of murder, deception and betrayal.
She introduces us to Cordelia Gray, a 23 year old private detective who inherits her own agency when her older partner commits suicide due to untreatable cancer. Her first solo case comes in the form of investigating the suicide death of a young man. His father, a noted scientist, wants Cordelia to find out why he killed himself.
James' mainstay Adam Dalgleish is a ghost in most of the book but he does come in for the final section. Of course, Cordelia's digging leads her to believe the suicide is really a murder, and finds her own life in danger.
James' prose is highly atmospheric and she fills the book with interesting, if somewhat unlikeable, characters (Are Brits really as self-centered and pompous as they appear in these mysteries?).
AN UNSUITABLE JOB FOR A WOMAN is a well written mystery and again demonstrates the popularity of Ms. James.

"What's there to be afraid of? After all, we're only dealing with men.".......2006-08-06

Written in 1972 and winner of the Best Novel Award by the Mystery Writers of America in 1973, this clever mystery by P. D. James features a female detective who is no Miss Marple. Cordelia Gray, is a contemporary detective, liberated and independent. An attractive young woman in her early twenties, she has inherited a detective agency from her partner Bernie Pryde, and she intends to keep it running, make it profitable, and create a career for herself. Polite and at ease in elegant circumstances, Cordelia is also willing to take chances and do all the dirty work--and carry a gun.

On her first case following the death of Bernie Pryde, Cordelia is hired by famed environmentalist Sir Ronald Callender of Garforth House, to find out why his son Mark has hanged himself. Sir Ronald has had little interest in or affection for his son during his lifetime but now seems determined to understand the reasons for his son's shocking suicide. Cordelia soon learns that just prior to his death, Mark dropped out of college and found work as a gardener, severing relations with his father from whom he declared he would accept no money or support. Further investigation leads Cordelia to believe that Mark was murdered.

The characters, though "thin" and somewhat stereotypical, are quirky and memorable enough to keep the reader interested in their behavior--Mark's friends, who know more than they are willing to reveal; Sir Ronald's household, including Elizabeth Leaming, his secretary, formerly a student of literature; Miss Markland, the sad single mother who once lived in the cottage where Mark's body was found; and Christopher Lunn, assistant to Sir Ronald at the scientific foundation where they both work. Soon an attempt is made on Cordelia's life, and three more deaths occur before Mark's murderer and motive are revealed.

James is a master at keeping the reader guessing till the very end, creating numerous plot twists which change the reader's perceptions and expectations at every turn. The tension remains high throughout, and the conclusion, in which Cordelia has to make a report to Adam Dalgiesh, Bernie Pryde's mentor (and the main character of James's best-known series), allows James to connect Cornelia's story with that series and, perhaps, give it additional credibility. Cordelia Gray is an engaging detective conveying just the right balance of ingenuousness and fierce determination, traits that continue her appeal in James's The Skull Beneath the Skin. One of James's best novels, "Unsuitable Job" will keep even jaded mystery readers on the edge of their chairs. n Mary Whipple

Dalgliesh Echoes beyond His Reach.......2006-05-03

Baroness James deserves great credit for coming up with this most unusual and interesting novel. Her detective, private investigator Cordelia Grey, is a landmark in the history of female detective fiction. The clever way that Ms. James connects this unlikely operative to the mighty Adam Dalgliesh adds great insight into both characters. The story itself is full of the unexpected . . . while maintaining touch with the ordinary. The combination is enough to keep you misdirected and fascinated until the very end.

I recently decided to reread the book to see if it still ranks up there as one of my favorite detective novels . . . and came away even more impressed than ever.

Cordelia Gray is a young woman learning her investigatory trade when her partner, Bernie Pryde, cuts his life short. Bernie has set up matters to give her as good a chance as possible to prosper in sole detection, including leaving her an unregistered gun. But will she have any clients?

It's a relief when a prospective client shows up looking for Bernie and takes Cordelia back for an interview with the famous father of Mark Callender, who recently killed himself. What father wouldn't want to know why? Cordelia in short order finds herself off on a five pounds a day assignment.

As she tracks backwards through the last days of Mark Callender, Cordelia finds that she likes him and wants to do right by his memory. Using the lessons that Bernie taught her, that he, in turn, learned from Dalgliesh, Cordelia soon has her suspicions about the suicide. Before long, she's being threatened as well.

What's it all about?

Bring a big imagination, grab a very comfy chair, turn on a good reading light and settle down for a treat!

Cordelia is Worthy of the Challenge.......2005-10-11

As an ardent fan of P.D. James and her prolific detective Adam Dalgliesh, I was a little hesitant to stray from that series into the first one devoted to Cordelia Gray. Yet "An Unsuitable Job for a Woman" is a richly rewarding read, with the classic elements that mark James' writing and a mystery as twisted as anything that Dalgliesh would find himself up against (and the fact that he makes an appearance later in the book is a boon). James went out on a limb crafting a new detective, a young female one at that, but succeeds in establishing Cordelia Gray in easy company with her more reknowned detective.

"An Unsuitable Job for a Woman" introduces readers to Cordelia Gray, a twenty-two year old private investigator who has just inherited the entire investigation buisness from her partner after his suicide. She finds herself at odds with how to make ends meet, when a case is thrown her way that was originally intended for her partner. Cordelia makes her way to Cambridge, at the request of the famous scientist Ronald Callender. He is at a loss to explain the suicide of his young son and hires Cordelia to find out why his son killed himself. As soon as Cordelia starts searching and asking questions regarding the young heir's death, she finds herself convinced that the case is one of murder, not suicide, and that her own life may be at risk.

Cordelia Gray has her work cut out for her. Secrets abound everywhere, and she must make her way in a 'man's world' to uncover the truth behind the mystery. The writing is surprisingly fast-paced for a novel that is introducting a new character, but James throws in the necessary information about her new sleuth as the novel progresses. It is told in natural flashbacks through Cordelia's thoughts on the case at hand. I look forward to reading the other Cordelia Gray mystery and am sure I will find myself wishing there were more.

Set 2 Cordelia Gray Titles : An Unsuitable Job For a Woman The Skull Beneath the Skin

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Set 2 Cordelia Gray Titles : An Unsuitable Job For a Woman The Skull Beneath the Skin
P.D. James
Manufacturer: Warner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Product Description

Set 2 Cordelia Gray Titles : An Unsuitable Job For a Woman The Skull Beneath the Skin. Two mmpb books.

An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (Cordelia Gray Mysteries (Paperback))

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An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (Cordelia Gray Mysteries (Paperback))
P.D. James
Manufacturer: Seal Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Series | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Women Sleuths | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Handsome Cambridge dropout Mark Callender died hanging by the neck with a faint trace of lipstick on his upper lip. When the official verdict is suicide, his wealthy father hires fledgling private investigator Cordelia Gray to find out what led him to self-destruction. What she discovers instead is a twisting trail of secrets and sins — and the strong scent of murder.

An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (Cordelia Gray Mysteries)

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An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (Cordelia Gray Mysteries)
P. D. James
Manufacturer: BBC Audiobooks America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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