Document Engineering: Analyzing and Designing Documents for Business Informatics and Web Services

Book Description

Much of the business transacted on the Web today takes place through information exchanges made possible by using documents as interfaces. For example, what seems to be a simple purchase from an online bookstore actually involves at least three different business collaborations -- between the customer and the online catalog to select a book; between the bookstore and a credit card authorization service to verify and charge the customer's account; and between the bookstore and the delivery service with instructions for picking up and delivering the book to the customer. Document engineering is needed to analyze, design, and implement these Internet information exchanges. This book is an introduction to the emerging field of document engineering.

The authors, both leaders in the development of document engineering and other e-commerce initiatives, analyze document exchanges from a variety of perspectives. Taking a qualitative view, they look at patterns of document exchanges as components of business models; looking at documents in more detail, they describe techniques for analyzing individual transaction patterns and the role they play in the overall business process. They describe techniques for analyzing, designing, and encoding document models, including XML, and discuss the techniques and architectures that make XML a unifying technology for the next generation of e-business applications. Finally, they go beyond document models to consider management and strategic issues -- the business model, or the vision, that the information exchanged in these documents serves.

Customer Reviews:

I didn't get the info for which I was looking out of it.......2007-09-28

I was lured by the title and reviews hoping to get insight on how to generically define large documents that could easily be extended as requirements change and consumed by a wide variety of clients using different arbitrary programming languages. I didn't learn anything new about extensibility, and programming languages are absent from this book.

Instead the book seems to be a somewhat dated look at a high level process for using documents in a service oriented architecture. The calendar example application seems too simple to translate into a more complex real life application. The approach described for "document engineering" is much more reminiscent of waterfall style development approaches rather than lean/agile techniques.

I also found the text very difficult to read; it's very dry.

Perhaps this book is useful for some, but it certainly isn't helpful for everybody.

Very relevant for anyone designing Web Services.......2006-08-04

Component modeling, analysis of information exchanges, and
application services usage patterns are critical areas to focus
on in designing internal and external interfaces exposed by
enterprises, ASPs/SaaS, and other consumer-oriented internet
services. We have many good examples of scalable, evolvable,
easy to integrate and interoperable Web Services API in the
consumer-oriented internet industry currently. The areas
covered in the DOCUMENT ENGINEERING is very relevant to
architects, product managers, developers and technology
executives. I especially found the design patterns and process
discussion helpful. I would recommend this book to anyone
interested in services oriented application platforms, internal
and external enterprise integration to employ in the design
phase since it covers an effective methodology of designing
interfaces based on the document-centric component model.

Zahid Ahmed
San Jose, CA

explains well SOA, Web Services and semantics .......2006-06-20

The book is a refreshingly understandable approach to explaining Service Oriented Architecture, Web Services and the Semantic Web. Other texts often drown the reader in hugely verbose XML examples. But here, the authors achieve clarity in discussing the essence of the above concepts. The XML snippets are clear, without being overly long.

You can also see why interoperability issues might inevitably arise in a loosely coupled Web Services environment. Often due to differing semantic meanings attached to the same fields in a common document structure. The book touches upon hard problems of ontologies and how the different meanings might be accomodated in a realistic deployment of distributed Web Services.

Comprehensive and Practical.......2006-03-29

Document Engineering is a practical exploration of the role documents play in the nexus of contracts that drive modern businesses. The interdisciplinary approach put forward here, taking document engineering out of the realm of pure software engineering, is eye opening and provides some real insight into what it takes to make Service Oriented Architectures work in the real world. This is an absolute must read book for anyone seriously considering developing an XML based document integration strategy.

A Roadmap for How To Upgrade All Businesses to the Internet Era.......2005-12-28

At the end of the day, business success comes down to three things: a product, the market, and the business processes. The business processes consist of people, tools and workflow. You can have a great product in a great market but if you have bad business processes...you can forget about it. Many organizations have tried to implement Six Sigma to ensure highly effective business processes. The key to six sigma is data. Data tells you how effective your processes are. For example, data will tell you things like: how many parts per million are defective, how many invoices per million were inaccurate, how many orders shipped late, how long it takes to execute an order once a contract is signed, how long a customer support rep spent on the phone, etc......Once you have the data, evaluating the problem and recommeding a solution is easy. The hard part however is getting the data. You can either collect the data manually over time or if you have the infrastructure you can collect it electronically through software. Unfortunately if you have to collect the data manually, it takes a long time, effort and money. If you collect data electronically it enables no additional time and provides real time visibility and the ability to implement positive changes on the fly. So how do you go from a manual data collection process to an automated data collection process? That's what this book, Document Engineering, will help you figure out. I have owned this book for about 2 months and it has been on my desk since. I continuously refer to it for insights on how to develop a clear plan on how to implement a data collection infrastructure that will help to more effectively manage business processes.

Book Description

A touchstone for understanding how we behave on the job

"This is a stimulating and provocative book in bringing together important ideas from different fields, and, thereby, giving us a whole new slant on 'human nature.'" âEdgar H. Schein, Sloan Fellows Professor of Management Emeritus and Senior Lecturer, MIT

In this astonishing, provocative, and solidly researched book, two Harvard Business School professors synthesize 200 years of thought along with the latest research drawn from the biological and social sciences to propose a new theory, a unified synthesis of human nature. Paul Lawrence and Nitin Nohria have studied the way people behave in that most fascinating arena of human behaviorâthe workplaceâand from their work they produce a book that examines the four separate and distinct emotive drives that guide human behavior and influence the choices people make: the drives to acquire, bond, learn, and defend. They ultimately show that, just as advances in information technology have spurred the New Economy in the last quarter of the twentieth century, current advances in biology will be the key to understanding humans and organizations in the new millennium.

Customer Reviews:

House built on sand.......2005-04-26

The arguments presented are based on weak theories and opinions. Authors say we have 4 basic drives (drive to aquire, bond, learn, and defend) and we "naturally" become cooperative to ensure our own self-interests (reminiscent of Adam Smith's invisible hand theory). While these drives seem reasonable, what about other drives? And how can the authors argue that cooperation is the "natural" product when we are left alone? Anyone with children will understand the importance of education in helping to "teach" cooperation.

Great concept.......2003-08-19

The book lays out the concept of four human drive. To Acquire, To Bond, To Learn, and To Defend. The concept is pretty much lecture by the Franklin Covey seminars and many books as preaches by the great Stephen Covey, the author of 7 habits of highly effective people. It says 4 things drive people. To Live, To Love, To Learn and To Leave a Legacy. The fourth drive from this book and Franklin Covey is similar but not the same. Overall its a good book.

Who Is In Your Driver's Seat?.......2003-02-23

At first glance this book seems to be leaning too much toward the scientific/academic side. I was actually dreading to read the book, however the authors have done a magnificant job of livening up each academic part with real world case studies. The main theme of this text is how we base our decision making on four psychological drives that every person is born with regardless of religion, race or other factors:

1.) The Drive to Acquire (D1) - We all have it, it is normal but some have too much of it. Those who have an overdose of D1 tend to teeter on the edge of self-destruction and those around them.
2.) The Drive to Bond (D2) - Everybody likes to feel wanted and belong to some type of organisation (family, cultural, religion, hobby, etc., When a person engages in decicion making, they will usually decided positive for the person who has something in common with them.
3.) The Drive to Learn (D3) - Learning is a part of life and when this drive is not satisfied in people they become aggressive and restless. Have you ever seen a highly intelligent well-paid co-worker leave a job although this person never had any problems with peer or superiors? Chances are that this person was in dire need of a cerebal orgasam i.e. The person was somebody who needed to be mentally challenged.
4.) The Drive to Defend (D4) - We have learned certain beliefs and take them to be true until proven otherwise. When somebody attacks or tries to show us otherwise we become agitated, angry or beligerent because deep down in our subconscious we have a defense mechanism that does not want to be proven wrong.

This is an excellent book for markets, negotiators and employers. What makes us tick inside our crainium. The authors have excellent examples taken from Hewlett-Packard and how they created a bond between employees and the company. Other scenarios show why some companies work extremely well with labour unions and some companies never seem to have any peace between management and unions. Why do we prefer a product over another? All of these answers are in this text.

Good start for unifying theories ... but.......2003-02-18

Lawrence & Nohria reduce human drives to biological drives that they say are rooted in the physical structure of our brains. These drives are to (1) Acquire, (2) Bond, (3) Learn, and (4) Defend. The authors search broadly through various disciplines to support their theory, significantly focusing on evolutionary sciences and neuroscience. Their work is a contribution to the literature on organization development vis-à-vis human biology and neurology, but unfortunately does not go far enough and reveals errors and lack of depth. For one, they postulate a Great Leap forward in human evolution dating back 70,000 years, but fail to account for the fact that although human `evolution' per se seems obvious, evolutionary science to date does not link man directly to earlier non-human life forms (i.e. the "missing link").

The authors likewise delve into neuroscience in an attempt to prove a unified theory of our drives by linking them to neurological activity in the limbic center of our brains, but stop short of including or even alluding to respected research that explores links between activities such as meditation and brain functioning (e.g. neurotheology, AUB), much of which supports a uniquely human neurology linked to spirituality (while not necessarily claiming to prove or disprove a God).

Even their case studies make errors of omission. They overlook key variables in their cases involving the economies of Russia and Ireland, and do not account for global economic influences. Today it seems more commonly acknowledged that the failure of capitalism in Russia had less to do with factors related to the imbalance of these 4 drives than with the monopolizing of the country's natural resources and large business ventures by the old party elite, and the economic successes of Ireland that they site as evidence of a country that balances these 4 drives is somewhat dated as Ireland today has budget deficits and the highest rate of inflation in all of Western Europe.

It would seem wise for Lawrence & Nohria to supplement their 4 drives with non-biological human drives such as our commonly acknowledged spiritual quests, for one. If we have an innate drive to transcend this material world and to know God (Western theists), our Ultimate Reality (Eastern spirituality) or our higher power (atheists), and if we at times even `deny' the other 4 drives in this quest, some even to the point of martyrdom, how can Lawrence & Nohria claim to have captured the essence of human nature? If for instance, the Jews of old gave up family, nation, and even life to remain true to their spiritual drives; and if early Christianity evolved `in spite of' the persecutions and against the accepted teachings of the day to acquire ("it is better to give than receive"), bond (in lieu of their own family members who did not accept Christianity), learn (as per their traditional mindsets) and defend (martyrdom, etc.); if early Islam likewise revealed a community of early believes who went against most of these drives to later establish a human system that embraced a vast expanse of land from North Africa to Portugal to Arabia; and today if Baha'is give up money (acquire), family (bond), school (learn: it is illegal for Baha'is to go to university in some nations), and even life (defend) as they are driven by faith in lands where it is fiercely persecuted; and finally if a cross section of humanity including humanists and atheists can sacrifice all for fellow humanity, how again can Lawrence & Nohria with such confidence claim to have the best unified theory of human nature that is reduced to our DNA?

Adam Smith discovers evolutionary psychology.......2003-02-03

This is evolutionary psychology as seen by two professors from the Harvard Business School (!). While some readers may be familiar with a lot of what is presented here, it is agreeable to get a perspective from another academic discipline and a new sense of application. It is especially pleasing because professors Lawrence and Nohria write well and have an appreciation of what an exciting time of biological discovery we are living in, a time when the convergence of knowledge and techniques from various disciplines is giving us the ability to look inside the black box of human nature previously closed.

The authors' use of the term "drives" to designate the source of behaviors is familiar, but the idea that these drives come from modules in the brain, or a network of modules, is what is relatively new. Whether this is just another construct like Freud's ego, id, and superego is an open question. However--and this is important and at the very essence of what is going on in brain science today--unlike Freud's construct, the one presented here is based on something tangible in the brain's structure. As the authors report, recent advances in technology allow us to discern the brain's structure as it works. These observations provide a scientific basis for constructs attempting to explain human behavior. Whether there are four fundamental drives, as messrs. Lawrence and Nohria think, or some other number, or whether an entirely different construct is required, is also an open question. Personally, I find their array persuasive, and I think the idea of "drives" a valuable one. More important though is their understanding that we are motivated by more than rational self-interest, the so-called "invisible hand" from Adam Smith and the market place.

Here are the drives as defined on page 10:

D1 is to acquire objects and experiences that improve our status relative to others.

D2 is to bond with others in mutually beneficial, long-term relationships.

D3 is to learn about and make sense of ourselves and the world around us.

D4 is to defend ourselves, our loved ones, our beliefs, and our resources.

In should be noted that these four drives do not in any way contradict the general finding in biology that individuals tend to behave in such a way as to enhance their reproductive success. What is new is that such "selfish" behaviors include behaviors usually seen as altruistic. Yet I think the authors would enhance their understanding of the idea of "altruistic behavior" by reading Amotz and Avishag Zahavi's The Handicap Principle: A Missing Piece of Darwin's Puzzle (1997) in which the adaptive function of some altruistic behavior is to directly advertise fitness.

It should also be noted, as the authors do on page 63, that "What drives behavior is a contest among the emotions, not the rational calculation alone." In other words, rationality leads to the creation of an emotion which competes with the instinctive emotion. This is an important concept. It is not the rational mind overcoming the emotional mind, but the employment of emotion by the rational mind to overcome instinctive imperatives which sometimes lead us in the wrong direction.

Through the process of "social bonding" as presented on page 83, the authors embrace the idea of group selection, an idea disparaged by notions from Dawkins's "selfish gene" and elsewhere. The idea that there could be the selection of genes that "orient behavior toward the good of the group" has long been discounted by the establishment in evolutionary biology. (This view is changing.) The seemingly very convincing argument has been that "any carrier with a genetic disposition to be nice to others would be, in time, wiped out by the selfish free-riders in the population." (Still on page 83.) My feeling, however (similar to that of the authors), is that for human beings the "in time" part has never had a chance to kick in. This is mainly because of the constant struggle of tribe against tribe throughout human and pre-human history. The benefit to the tribe from individuals willing to risk life and limb for the good of the tribe is clear. What has not been realized by many is that the benefits to the individual by enhancing the tribe's fitness more than offset the loss incurred from taking risks. True, if the tribe faced no outward danger for a long period of time, the genes of the "selfish free-riders" would predominate in the population and the altruistic genes would die out. But that hasn't happened. Consequently groups (bands and tribes) that contained many "altruistic" individuals survived while groups with fewer altruistic individuals died out. Therefore we have the "group selection of individuals" (which is a way I have seen this phenomenon phrased).

I should also like to note that religion, the cultural evolution of, is accounted for in a similar way. Those tribes that had religious beliefs strong enough to facilitate bonding and altruistic behavior survived more often than tribes that did not. This is something that E.O. Wilson pointed out some years ago in his book On Human Nature.

I think this is an excellent book for the general reader and a fine melding of the ideas of evolutionary biology into the culture of the work place and other loci in the modern world. The authors do a good job of showing how the ideas of evolutionary psychology go far beyond the retelling of "just so" stories, ideas that can help us to understand ourselves and the world in which we live.

Book Description

Changes in agricultural land use have led to a drastic decrease in grassland and heathland habitat in Britain. This book presents an illustrated and practical guide to Britain's range of natural and semi-natural grasslands and heaths.

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GRASSLAND & HEATHLAND HABITATS
Elizabeth Price
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N66BHM

Grassland and Heathland Habitats (Habitat Guides)

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Grassland and Heathland Habitats (Habitat Guides)
Elizabeth Price
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N6BRBM

Heathland Management (Focus on Nature Conservation)

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Heathland Management (Focus on Nature Conservation)
Heathland Habitat Network
Manufacturer: Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Lowland Heathland: the Extent of Habitat Change (English Nature Science)

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Lowland Heathland: the Extent of Habitat Change (English Nature Science)
L. Farrell
Manufacturer: English Nature
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Book Description

The role of supervision in the training of clinical psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, and psychoanalysts has in recent years taken on increasing importance. Even though supervision has long been an essential part of the training of psychotherapists, remarkably little was written on the subject until ten years ago. This volume addresses the need for more open discussion of the various facets of supervision and the training of analytic candidates with chapters by leaders in the field on elaborating technique, elucidating transference and countertransference issues, proposing direction and focus to clinical inquiry, suggesting dynamic and archetypal formulations of the analytic process, and exploring repetitive patterns of behavior, thought, and fantasy. This collection embodies an essential reference source for supervising psychoanalysts and therapists, as well as training candidates, graduate students in social work and clinical psychology, and psychiatry residents.

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The Naturalist on the River Amazons
Henry Walter Bates
Manufacturer: Hard Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1406923303
Release Date: 2006-11-03

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Henry Bates

A Vanishing World

The Naturalist on the River Amazons
Henry Walter Bates
Manufacturer: Stackpole Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Personal Narrative of a Journey to the Equinoctial Regions of the New Continent: Abridged Edition (Penguin Classics)

Explorers of the Amazon

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ASIN: 1589761979

Customer Reviews:

Henry Bates.......2006-12-08

Fascinating reading and well worth the purchase if you're interested in the area or thinking of going. Don't try reading it all at once, it's good for dipping in and out. Nice escape.

A Vanishing World.......2006-11-29

Climbing palms. Seven-inch monkeys. Twenty-foot anacondas. Bats with two-foot wingspans. Five-inch spiders. Bloodthirsty insects. Methods of river travel. Torrential downpours. Indigenous peoples.

Henry Walter Bates' personal narrative of exploring and naturalizing in the Amazon Basin is both an enjoyable read and one of immense importance to natural history.
From 1848-1859 Bates traveled throughout the Amazon and its many tributaries taking notes on everything from the natural world to the cultures and customs of the many native and non-native peoples he encountered.
His observations of animal mimicry (now known as Batesian Mimicry) further glued Darwin's theory of evolution, natural selection and adaptation.

The reader is easily lured into Bates' descriptive writing style. Energetic, expressive and vigilant, we are right there alongside him traveling through the murky dark waters of the upper Amazon or up close with a scrutinizing eye to observe the ants, monkeys and butterflies. He was a keen and enthusiastic witness to a world slowly disappearing.

The only shortcoming to the book is that it is extremely lengthy. Maps and diagrams would have been helpful.

Henry Walter Bates: Naturalist of the Amazons (Great Travellers)

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Henry Walter Bates: Naturalist of the Amazons (Great Travellers)
George Woodcock
Manufacturer: Barnes & Noble
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0389010146

The Humboldt Library of Science. No. 1-12, Nov. 1879 - Oct. 1880. Includes: The Naturalist on the River Amazons, More

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The Humboldt Library of Science. No. 1-12, Nov. 1879 - Oct. 1880. Includes: The Naturalist on the River Amazons, More
Richard A. (editor). With Henry Walter Bates and Others Proctor
Manufacturer: The Humboldt Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VUC9IU

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THE NATURALIST ON THE RIVER AMAZONS
HENRY WALTER BATES
Manufacturer: JOHN MURRAY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000RWC25M

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The Naturalist On The River Amazons
Henry Walter Bates
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing
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ASIN: 1419175262

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The Naturalist on the River Amazons
Henry Walter Bates
Manufacturer: White Rose Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0940561042

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THE NATURALIST ON THE RIVER AMAZONS
HENRY WALTER BATES
Manufacturer: JOHN MURRAY
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ASIN: B000SAW8XO

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The Naturalist on the River Amazons
Henry Walter Bates
Manufacturer: IndyPublish.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1404321144

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The Naturalist on the River Amazons
Walter Henry Bates
Manufacturer: Echo Library
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ASIN: 1846378907

Book Description

With original woodcut illustrations and small maps.

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This book will curse your brain cells

Not as good a writer as ball player :-(

so disappointing...

Idiot/QofA #33

Idiot/QofA #33

Idiot: Beating "The Curse" and Enjoying the Game of Life
Johnny Damon , and Peter Golenbock
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Emperors and Idiots: The Hundred Year Rivalry Between the Yankees and Red Sox, From the Very Beginning to the End of the Curse

ASIN: 030723763X
Release Date: 2005-04-04

Book Description

Dear Baseball Fan:

I know what you’re thinking: Couldn’t he have come up with a better title? My mother agrees with you, but unfortunately Genius just doesn’t have the same ring.

Let’s get something straight right away. I may be an idiot, but I’ve tried to do more in this book than just revisit the Red Sox’s Miracle Season. I want to give you a sense of what it’s like to grow up with baseball dreams, to spend long years climbing the ladder, and then over the course of three years to see the building blocks of those dreams fall into place.

In this book, you’ll be reading about the son of an Army staff sergeant—a thrill-seeking Orlando kid who at age thirteen was gifted with a man’s body, including rare speed and reflexes. It was some straight talk from my brother that kept me from abandoning that talent, which led to my eventually catching on with the Kansas City Royals and later the Oakland A’s.

Starting in 2002 with the Red Sox, I got to see what can happen when a determined front office decides to roll the dice and acquire players who, like me, leave the thinking out of it—who trust their instincts and play team baseball.

Forget what you’ve read about the posse of long-haired rebels who eventually made up the 2004 Red Sox. I’ll give you the straight dope, including who’s got the biggest mouth (hint: his first name is Kevin); what Pedro Martinez was doing all those times when you couldn’t find him on the bench; what game David Ortiz should never play; and why I sometimes question Curt Schilling’s sanity. Memo to Curt: the statue of you is being erected.

What’s it like being responsible for the hopes of millions? In the fall of 2004 my teammates and I got to find out. What I’ve tried to do in these pages is bring you inside, show you the black humor that erupted when it seemed we could do nothing right, and the immense joy that followed when 25 guys took turns picking each other up, and by sheer force of will reached baseball’s summit.

Red Sox Nation (both natives and new arrivals), this one’s for you.

From Idiot by Johnny Damon…

On what it takes to make the majors… “It’s never about your talent. Everybody in the minor leagues has talent. If you’re planning on building a career in baseball on just talent alone, you’ve got no chance. Most important, you need will. You’ve got to work harder than the next guy, and you have to want it more than the next guy. Guys who make it do so with their heart and mind.”

On Nomar…“It was virtually impossible for Nomar to go out in public. If he went, he needed a private room or he had to be shielded by the other players so the public wouldn’t get to him. Nomar had to deal with his superstar status every day. If one fan wanted an autograph, there’d be a hundred behind him. Nomar spent much of his time in his room getting food delivered. It was the only way he could get to eat.”

On “The Curse”…“When you got down toward the end of the season, that’s all you heard about…‘Do you believe in the curse?’ ‘Is the curse overtaking the team?’…Since Dan Shaughnessy is the guy who invented this curse nonsense in the first place, I find it kind of odd that he keeps talking about it. He’s a bright guy. I can’t believe he actually believes it. I guess the Curse of the Bambino has a better ring to it than the Curse of Dan Shaughnessy.”

On getting support from the fans during the ALCS slump…“I went out into the field, expecting to hear it from the Fenway Fans. But we have some really great fans there in center field. ‘Johnny, we’re all right,’ they said. ‘Just get the job done next time.’ ‘Come on, let’s go, John. The game’s not over. Make something happen.’…I didn’t hear one nasty comment…I was pumped. They were rooting us on.”

On valuing the game…“I think back to that day Damian Jackson and I collided in Oakland. Before that…I said I was going to retire if I won a World Series. But now, having had that experience and almost having the game taken away from me, when I think about it, I cry, because I don’t ever want to leave this game. I know the day will come and I won’t be ready. This game is so precious and meaningful to me.”

Customer Reviews:

This book will curse your brain cells.......2006-04-01

No great revelations here -- wasn't expecting much anyway with the always dull Peter Golenbock as ghost writer. Too bad too, Damon's story as a fascinating Thai/American elite athlete could have been penned as a compelling one. Was looking for even a minor crescendo during the improbable 2004 ALCS comeback against the Bronx Bombers but nothing really ever ultimately gelled. The book could have vastly improved from better identification of dates and times and avoidance of extensive rehashing of prior events with no added detail. Saved from one star hell by the inclusion of a pretty good photos section.

As if the poor writing wasn't enough, idiot mistakes abound, from misspelling the names of numerous major leaguers (Scott Sauerbeck as Scott Sauerbach, Bucky Jacobsen as Bucky Jacobson) to basic errors in game details. You'd think Golenbock would be improving as a writer after his many collaborations with other sports figures. Damon either exerted too much editorial control, or, more likely, it's time for Golenbock to hang up his spikes...

Not as good a writer as ball player :-(.......2006-03-26

This book prooves the theory that looks aren't everything. He's so hot (even now without the beard) but from reading this book, he's not that smart. So talented on the field but this book is like it's been written by a kid back in junior high - if that. He's repeated himself several times over and over and as another reviewer said, it seems as if this was written purely because of the Sox's win only. I love Johnny dearly, but stick to playing ball and away from books.

so disappointing..........2006-02-27

I am glad I read this book before I saw Johnny Damon in a Yankee uniform, because the book is boring and could have been written by a tenth grader. Damon is in love with himself, talks trash about his ex-wife and the whole book sounds like a bad tv interview. I can happily look at Johnny Damon in Yankee gear and know it's no loss to the Red Sox.

Idiot/QofA #33.......2006-01-13

IDIOT
By: Johnny Damon

" Other players had to protect Nomar Garciaparra from the public"

" Amazing, Fun, and Exciting".
Anonymous 7th grade book reader.

This book is amazing. The book Idiot is an awesome biography about Johnny Damon's life. When he was a kid, teenager, life in the Minors, as an adult, and life in the majors.

As a kid he played baseball with friends and in a league. As a teen he played football, and as a senior in high school he was on an all-star team in baseball. In the minors he got to shake hands with Bill Clinton. The majors were tough starting with the A's. He hit his head, and got a concussion. When he got to be on the Red Sox every time they would try to get players the Yankee's got the player first. To find out more about Johnny Damon's life read the book.

Johnny Damon did not use any special writing. His language is not appropriate for people under 12 years old.

I feel that this book is a masterpiece. I was surprised, because he used sware words a lot.

To read this book you cannot stop in the middle of a chapter. You also cannot stop and not read the book for a few weeks.

Any Red Sox fan would like this book. You still should be at least 12 years of age.

This book is different from other genres because it is not just a book about baseball. The Boy Who Saved Baseball a fiction book, that is completely fake. This is why Idiot is so amazing.

Most biographies go on and on about the same subject, while this one is fun and exciting.

This author is different than any other author, because in Holes, by Louis Sachar the book does not push the limits. In Idiot they push the limits.

The story is set from Johnny Damon's childhood through almost present day, and is set from coast to coast.

Johnny Damon is a great baseball player, and has met important people, and other great baseball players. Johnny Damon did many great things in this book. He pushes limits. He also keeps your attention. Find out more real great things about the book, by reading it.

The book Idiot is a great book and you should read about the many experiences in his life.

Idiot/QofA #33.......2006-01-13

Idiot : Beating "The Curse" And Enjoying the Game of Life

Average customer rating:

Idiot : Beating "The Curse" And Enjoying the Game of Life
JOHNNY/ Golenbock, Peter DAMON
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OSJUB8

Average customer rating:

Idiot. Beating "The Curse" and Enjoying The Game of Life
Johnny Damon
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NUSYQY

Average customer rating:

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? BUY THIS BOOK NOW!!!

Made Me Want to Freelance

Where has this book been all my life?

This book really helped

Creatively Self-Employed Writer--Loving RW book

The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing Success (The Renegade Writer's Freelance Writing series)
Linda Formichelli , and Diana Burrell
Manufacturer: Marion Street Press, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Renegade Writer's Query Letters That Rock: The Freelance Writer's Guide to Selling More Work Faster (The Renegade Writer's Freelance Writing series)

The ASJA Guide to Freelance Writing: A Professional Guide to the Business, for Nonfiction Writers of All Experience Levels

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Six-Figure Freelancing

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Book Description

Written by two freelancers who broke the rules to win the game, this handbook contains a wealth of information for writers who are frustrated by the seemingly limited ways to operate in the freelance market. It explains that freelancers can negotiate for more money and better terms without risking their careers, shows that editors are not the writer-gobbling monsters many freelancers fear, and explains how to establish and foster work relationships. In this updated second edition there are more ideas, more rules to break, and more resources to get started, including a suite of appendixes covering topics such as contract procedures, getting paid, services for freelancers, generating ideas, and doing research. As inspiration, the book includes examples of real writers who have gone against "expert" advice and flourished. Being shy doesn't pay, and following the rules puts a writer in a long line of other sheep; with this text as a guide, writers can step out of the herd and build a successful business in a crowded market.

Customer Reviews:

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? BUY THIS BOOK NOW!!!.......2007-09-10

There are many useful books out there covering the craft of writing and getting published, but several of those guides tend to repeat the same tired message - stay in step! Keep in line! Be good little writers and behave! ENOUGH OF THAT! Do yourself and your writing career a favor and buy 'The Renegade Writer' now!

What sets this book apart? Everything, that's what. 'The Renegade Writer' breaks the mold by showing you how to break the rules and set your work apart with a fresh new spin on getting your words into print.

The authors, Linda Formichelli and Diana Burrell, fill you in with a wealth of insider information and show you how to buck the system. I was amazed at what I learned by reading this book, having been "conditioned" by everything else I have read and put into practice regarding what it takes to become a successful writer. That all end now. From here on, I'm a renegade writer!

This is a great book for anyone just starting down the writing path, and published writers like myself will find whole new ways to smooth out those speed bumps we run into in advancing our writing career.

So break the rules! Buy this book, Follow the proven methods, and put yourself ahead of the game.

And while you're at it, don't forget to pick up 'Query Letters that Rock', another must-have book by these same two authors that is a perfect companion to this one. So what are you waiting for?

Made Me Want to Freelance.......2007-09-05

Honestly, I don't review often, but this book was just so good that I felt I needed to.

And yes, this book really did make me switch careers. Okay, so it isn't that much of a leap from newspaper reporting, but this book made freelancing so appealing that it made me realize that it's what I want to do.

If you're new to freelancing or considering it, read this. It gives you total confidence that you can do it, but does warn you of the downsides. It gives tips for what to do if you don't have clips (like me, unless you count a few articles in my college newspaper), or how to deal with interviews that aren't quite going your way. Also includes what to ask for in a contract, when you should and shouldn't settle for less, and how to handle editors. It's just a really great and useful book.

Where has this book been all my life?.......2007-07-22

This book is for aspiring writers whose creative juices get deflated by rigid guidelines. These ladies rock. There is a way other than following the masses, and the authors give you examples to prove it. This book can be the one that shifts your course as a writer and gives you the courage to break new ground.

This book really helped.......2007-07-11

The book was easy and interesting to read. It gave me permission to let go of some of the standard rules of freelancing and try going with my gut. I wrote longer more detailed queries against the suggested guidelines. I wrote in my own voice rather than trying to write what I thought they would want to read. I sent a few queries by e-mail right away and actually got positive responses and ended up with one trade magazine assignment. The book also reinforced some of the advice I had already been following. The best parts are the short interviews with writers about how they got their first assignments and mistakes they made and such. A good book for beginners.

Creatively Self-Employed Writer--Loving RW book.......2007-07-04

A practical guide with tons of great information for freelance writers! These gals know their business!

Customer Reviews:

Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03

The complete lack of information and accountability about the Culper Ring comes back to haunt Yorick here. Agent 355 thinks Yorick's mental state is not what it could be, so she sends him to Agent 711, for a bit of programming or reprogramming, depending on how you look at it. There is less of the yelling and more of the drugs and sex in her methodology.

great.......2007-06-02

great series, great book. Buy it. you wont regret it... unless you havent read 1-3 then you'll just be like what the heck is going on....

Safeword.......2007-05-26

I'm a big fan of Brian K. Vaughan's comic book work, so I jumped on this series recently, and although I loved the first story, I found myself disappointed by the second, and while the third trade did win me back over, I still felt like this book wasn't quite living up to my expectations--until Safeword. Both stories contained in this trade are excellent; the characters feel more real than ever here, and both stories have extremely serious ramifications for the future of the series. Pia Guerra is not an innovator, but her work is definitely solid enough to sell me on these stories. She knows facial expressions and anatomy, and considering the level of the writing, that really is enough. Absolutely recommended.

great series.......2007-01-18

what's to say about this that hasn't already been said? this is a great concept with tons of interesting story arcs, compelling characters. i can't say that i like all the artists that have worked on this comic equally but still, overall, totally bitchin' and awesome and stuff yo.

avoid..........2006-12-08

well vaughan's work is a double threat it is true:
1. the value for reading the words and looking at the pictures is 0/5 stars.
2. the value for using these pages to catch waste from birds in cages, or to be used as cheap tp...1/5 due to the less-than-optimal paper.

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