Population, Economy, and Welfare in Sweden (Population Economics)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Population, Economy, and Welfare in Sweden (Population Economics)

    Manufacturer: Springer
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

    GeneralGeneral | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
    TheoryTheory | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
    Social Services & WelfareSocial Services & Welfare | Poverty | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
    DemographyDemography | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
    Human GeographyHuman Geography | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Science | Subjects | Books
    ASIN: 3540584234

    Book Description

    The Swedish welfare model has changed since the 1970s primarily due to Sweden's financial problems, which are associated with an excessively large public sector. Sweden has the highest proportion of old people in the world, the highest proportion of cohabiting couples, the highest proportion of children born outside wedlock, and the highest proportion of refugees in relation to population. This book deals with the development of the Swedish welfare system, its present stage and problems, analyses the causes, including economic and demographic effects, and shows solutions to the problems and what other countries can learn from the Swedish experience of the social welfare system.
    Population, Economy, and Welfare in Sweden
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Population, Economy, and Welfare in Sweden

      Manufacturer: Springer Verlag
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover
      ASIN: 0387584234

      A Strategic Profile of French Guiana, 2000 edition (Strategic Planning Series)
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        A Strategic Profile of French Guiana, 2000 edition (Strategic Planning Series)
        The French Guiana Research Group , and The French Guiana Research Group
        Manufacturer: Icon Group International
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Ring-bound

        Strategy & CompetitionStrategy & Competition | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
        GeneralGeneral | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
        GeneralGeneral | France | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
        ASIN: 0741822989

        Book Description

        French Guiana has recently come to the attention to global strategic planners. This report puts these executives on the fast track. Ten chapters provide: an overview of how to strategically access this important market, a discussion on economic fundamentals, marketing & distribution options, export and direct investment options, and full risk assessments (political, cultural, legal, human resources). Ample statistical benchmarks and comparative graphs are given.

        White Paper International Trade Japan 97 (White Paper on International Trade Japan)
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          White Paper International Trade Japan 97 (White Paper on International Trade Japan)
          1997 Ed
          Manufacturer: Routledge
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback

          Foreign ExchangeForeign Exchange | Finance | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
          Yearbooks & AnnualsYearbooks & Annuals | Almanacs & Yearbooks | Reference | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Reference | Subjects | Books
          ASIN: 4822407926

          How to Start a Home-Based Carpentry Business
          Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
          • If you're a moron this is the book to buy!
          • MAKING MONEY FROM CARPENTRY WORK FROM HOME
          How to Start a Home-Based Carpentry Business
          Charles Self
          Manufacturer: Globe Pequot
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback

          GeneralGeneral | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
          Home BasedHome Based | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
          CarpentryCarpentry | Construction | Civil | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
          ASIN: 0762700653

          Customer Reviews:

          1 out of 5 stars If you're a moron this is the book to buy!.......2004-02-25

          If you read the review written in Sept 2000 that's the perfect example of the type of person this book is for. This book is useless because if you don't already know just by common sense about everything in it then you'll never be smart enough to run a business anyway. As an example, for estimating the author starts with this brilliant advice: "The basic tools for making estimates are simple things including a 50-foot or 100-foot tape measure, an adding machine (or calculator or computer), a legal-size pad or two, and a set of job plans..." Don't waste your money on this one. It doesn't even deserve 1 star.

          5 out of 5 stars MAKING MONEY FROM CARPENTRY WORK FROM HOME.......2000-09-13

          CREATE THINGS FROM CARPENTRY WORKING IS AMAIZING AND IF I GOING TO GET PAID FOR IT WHAT CAN BE BETTER WHEN SOMEONE DISPLAY YOUR WORK AND MENTION HOW MUCH IT COST AND IVEN BETTER HWOSE DO THAT JOB THAT MAKE ME FEEL THE REAL THING IN FRONT OF THE OTHER PEOPLE
          How to Start a Home-Based Carpentry Business
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            How to Start a Home-Based Carpentry Business
            Charles R.; Self, Charles Self
            Manufacturer: Globe Pequot Pr
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback
            ASIN: B000O8WGKK

            The Power of the Pitch: Transform Yourself into a Persuasive Presenter and Win More Business
            Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
            • Excellent way to improve your communication skills
            • The Power of the Pitch
            • Fulfillment Within Your Grasp
            • Great Learning Tool!
            • A Pragmatic, All-Inclusive Guide to Persuasion
            The Power of the Pitch: Transform Yourself into a Persuasive Presenter and Win More Business
            Gary Hankins
            Manufacturer: Kaplan Business
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback

            CommunicationsCommunications | Skills | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
            Running Meetings & PresentationsRunning Meetings & Presentations | Skills | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
            GeneralGeneral | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
            Marketing & SalesMarketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books | Advertising | Consumer Behavior | Customer Service | Marketing | Public Relations | Sales & Selling
            Similar Items:
            1. The Articulate Executive: Learn to Look, Act, and Sound Like a Leader The Articulate Executive: Learn to Look, Act, and Sound Like a Leader
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            3. Building High-Performance Teams Building High-Performance Teams
            4. Speak Like a CEO: Secrets for Commanding Attention and Getting Results Speak Like a CEO: Secrets for Commanding Attention and Getting Results
            5. Financial Accounting: An Introduction to Concepts, Methods and Uses Financial Accounting: An Introduction to Concepts, Methods and Uses

            ASIN: 0793194393
            Release Date: 2005-01-01

            Book Description

            The tools to inform, persuade, entertain an audience of any size, and to ultimately win more business.

            From informal luncheons to formal meetings before selection committees, more than one million business presentations are given in the United States every working day. Unfortunately, very few efforts succeed, primarily because the professionals making them don't place a premium on the real power of the presentation: the pitch that will win the business. Instead, they get hung up on writing proposals or creating PowerPoint slides.

            The ability to powerfully present oneself can be many times more valuable than technical knowledge and experience, according to training expert Gary Hankins. For the first time, he has outlined his proprietary formula that will virtually guarantee success for sales, marketing, advertising, and public relations professionals and executives at all levels.

            The Power of the Pitch shows readers how to incorporate into their own presentations the same techniques and strategies Hankins and his team use to coach thousands of professionals in a variety of industries. Examples include:

            Vital steps to be taken before and after every presentation How to get prospects to like the presenter within the critical first 30 seconds of a presentation A powerful way to organize the content of any presentation Ways to grab an audience, keep their attention, and leave them wanting more Tips on effectively using technology, such as Web conferencing, videoconferencing, and teleconferencing

            Unlike most communication books, The Power of the Pitch provides a comprehensive, time-tested formula for successful presentations that can be followed from the moment the appointment is made until the prospect says ""yes."" Also included is a list of books, newsletters, Web sites, and downloads that will aid in creating increasingly more successful pitches.

            Customer Reviews:

            5 out of 5 stars Excellent way to improve your communication skills.......2006-10-10

            A few summers ago I was fortunate enough to come across a copy of the book The Power of the Pitch by Gary Hankins. After flipping through a few of the pages I knew that I had to purchase this book.

            As an entrepreneur - especially a young one - you will always be judged by not only what you say, but how you say things. Having the ability to effectively and clearly communicate your ideas, visions, and plans of your company is extremely important and goes a long way in how people view your character.

            Let's keep it real, the majority of the people that you pitch your ideas to aren't going to share your vision and will brush your words off quite easily. Knowing that, it's in the entrepreneur's best interest to become the best communicator than he or she possibly can.

            Hankins' book is an excellent place to start reading about the fundamentals of becoming a great communicator. The book is a fun and relaxing read and packed with tons of useful information such as:

            - Learning how to tell a story when giving a presentation.
            - The benefits of seeding in jokes throughout your presentation.
            - Tips on practicing your speech with friends for honest feedback.
            - How to customize your message for the different audiences.
            - Keeping eye contact with key people.
            - How to stay relaxed and be confident.
            - Focusing your message on your target audience, not yourself.
            - And much, much, more....

            The key thing to remember when giving a speech or presentation is preparation, preparation, and more preparation! Without taking the necessary steps to insure that your message is clearly presented and fully understanding the material of which you speak of, your credibility level will drop faster than you can ever image.

            Hankins' book is well worth the read for any entrepreneur trying to step up their communication skills. After reading the book, it would be wise to start testing out some of the techniques at your local Toastmasters club. Because at the end of the day, public speaking is more about doing than reading.

            Go get 'em!

            5 out of 5 stars The Power of the Pitch.......2005-06-22

            For someone spending their life in marketing, this is the best guide I've seen.

            5 out of 5 stars Fulfillment Within Your Grasp.......2005-06-17

            "The Power of the Pitch", I believe, stands alongside some of the greatest aids in the area of development of individual potential and professionalism -- whatever the goal. Succinct, focused and entertainingly presented, the text is akin to being accompanied by a coach -- guiding and training easily yet profoundly -- in the very basic tenets that make for a totally developed, confident. personality

            Gary picks up on the many aspects of character traits endeavoring to shape and mold each until culminating into one finished, polished and confident persona -- the results of which easily promises a life ennobled by fulfillment and ultimate success.

            This is a book I have read, re-read, hi-lighted and will keep active as my own personal coach. Mostly, I was impressed and encouraged by Gary's practical strategies to enforce a discipline until it becomes a natural lifestyle. Whether you're a novice or entrepreneur, "The Power of the Pitch", for sure, has something for you!

            5 out of 5 stars Great Learning Tool!.......2005-06-17

            This book is a very user-friendly, fun way to become a better presenter in all fields.

            5 out of 5 stars A Pragmatic, All-Inclusive Guide to Persuasion.......2005-04-28

            "Pitch" may have a negative connotation to the same group of people who regard "sales" as a less than legitimate profession. Hankins has the courage to show us that any communication with intent to persuade is a "pitch" and that sure makes us all salespeople much of the time. You may not appreciate his button-down, rules-oriented approach if you're a free spirit with an irrepressible ego, but you'll glom onto the numerous templates and procedures once you see that they all but guarantee success! Hankins' combination of well-tested practices with the technically sophisticated tools available today and the acknowledgement of an over-saturated public give this book a gritty realism that is unabashadly prescriptive. He knows these things work and has earned the right to tell us about them. Frequent references to his daughter's wisdom, his own foibles and personal stories of friends and clients provide a warm contrast to the otherwise mercantile feel of the journey. You'll come away knowing not only Hankins' philosophy and tricks, but also his underlying humanness. Combined with the generous listing of helpful websites and open-door view of his reference library, the author has given until he can give no more. This is a one-evening read that you will want to come back to for years.

            Getting Organized: Learning How to Focus, Organize and Prioritize
            Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
            • Should be on your bookshelf
            • Practical ideas that produce results
            • a nice, integrated system
            • Look at the reviews carefully
            • Will only be helpful for a few.
            Getting Organized: Learning How to Focus, Organize and Prioritize
            Chris Crouch
            Manufacturer: Dawson Publishing
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback

            GeneralGeneral | Business Life | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
            Time ManagementTime Management | Skills | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
            All TitlesAll Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
            Business & InvestingBusiness & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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            4. Eliminate Chaos: The 10-Step Process to Organize Your Home and Life Eliminate Chaos: The 10-Step Process to Organize Your Home and Life
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            ASIN: 0975868098

            Book Description

            Getting Organized is a collection of simple ideas that address at least six major issues that could be generating chaos and disorder in your life. These ideas are presented in a simple format, with specific suggestions on how to put each idea to work, so busy people can find the time to read and try them. Simply stated, Getting Organized will help you improve your ability to focus, organize and prioritize.

            Getting Organized includes tips, ideas and recommendations that are being successfully taught by corporate trainers and professional organizers in GO System training sessions all over the country. Even if you've tried unsuccessfully to get organized before, consider reading Getting Organized. You'll find effective solutions to your organizing challenges and will enjoy the benefits for years to come.

            Customer Reviews:

            5 out of 5 stars Should be on your bookshelf.......2007-10-22

            Chris Crouch's "Getting Organized: Improving Focus, Organization and Productivity" is a fine read which accomplishes what all good teachers do best: Imparting with vivid good humor and simplicity the wisdoms of processes taken beyond the classroom. The target audience here, primarily workers in any workplace, calls for a most delicate balancing act: Being thoughtful and succinctly explaining the theory, practice, and results of a disciplined approach to Organization. Mr. Crouch accomplishes this masterfully with anecdotes, explanations, and his "master teacher" persona.

            5 out of 5 stars Practical ideas that produce results.......2007-07-13

            You won't get rich from simply reading a "How to Get Rich" book and you won't get organized and productive from just reading any book - you have to take action and implement the ideas.

            I have used the principles and ideas outlined in "Getting Organized" for several years and found them to be extremely valuable.

            Becoming more organized and productive is not a matter of what type of filing system or PDA you use, it involves making a habit of organized and productive behavior.

            This book provides concrete tools for forming those habits. Simply outstanding!

            5 out of 5 stars a nice, integrated system.......2007-07-03

            Crouch has some very solid ideas here, with practical applications. Worth looking at.

            More at: Some thoughts from the book "Getting Organized" by Chris Crouch
            [...]

            1 out of 5 stars Look at the reviews carefully.......2007-05-10

            I wish I would have looked at the reviews carefully before buying this piece of fluff! I now took the time to look at more than the gold stars and actually read those reviews, and it seems that 99.9% of them were written by people who have paid to have this author give seminars at their offices. I have a feeling they got a discount for each 5 star review they gave.

            When you can't handle email or incoming/outgoing paperwork, no book OR seminar is going to help you ... perhaps your career path should begin with a McJob!

            If you are looking for REAL organization books that apply to your home and office space, I suggest "Organizing From The Inside Out" and "Sink Reflections".

            2 out of 5 stars Will only be helpful for a few........2007-04-14

            The book was NOT what I was expecting based on prior reviews. This is NOT a guide to life organizing and prioritizing but rather the author's idea of handling office incoming mail, a filing reminder system for phone calls to be made and work to be done, keeping things one needs to share with another individual in a central location, and scheduling and consolidating that sharing. For those who don't need a computer to do their job, have a memory like a sieve, or are super disorganized and don't know where to begin to start, this might be helpful, otherwise, save your money. His ideas are only practical in a low volume paperwork environment and with those who have non-technical professions. Some kind of portable, daily planner or calendar or a computer syncing PDA is much more practical.

            The Two-Income Trap: Why Middle-Class Parents are Going Broke
            Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
            • Tax Ignorance
            • Good data, limited analysis
            • Explains with clarity, without blame
            • Stretching Too Far For The American Dream
            • Insightful in some respects, off-base in others
            The Two-Income Trap: Why Middle-Class Parents are Going Broke
            Elizabeth Warren , and Amelia Warren Tyagi
            Manufacturer: Basic Books
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback

            GeneralGeneral | Personal Finance | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
            Social Services & WelfareSocial Services & Welfare | Poverty | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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            Marriage & FamilyMarriage & Family | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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            5. Credit Card Nation: The Consequences of America's Addiction to Credit Credit Card Nation: The Consequences of America's Addiction to Credit

            ASIN: 0465090907
            Release Date: 2004-08-17

            Book Description

            In this revolutionary exposŽ, Harvard Law School bankruptcy expert Elizabeth Warren and financial consultant Amelia Tyagi show that today's middle-class parents are increasingly trapped by financial meltdowns. Astonishingly, sending mothers to work has made families more vulnerable to financial disaster than ever before. Today's two-income family earns 75% more money than its single-income counterpart of a generation ago, but has 25% less discretionary income to cover living costs. This is "the rare financial book that sidesteps accusations of individual wastefulness to focus on institutional changes," raved the Boston Globe. Warren and Tyagi reveal how the ferocious bidding war for housing and education has silently engulfed America's suburbs, driving up the cost of keeping families in the middle class. The authors show why the usual remedies-child-support enforcement, subsidized daycare, and higher salaries for women-won't solve the problem. But as the Wall Street Journal observed, "The book is brimming with proposed solutions to the nail-biting anxiety that the middle class finds itself in." From Senator Edward M. Kennedy to Dr. Phil to Bill Moyers, The Two-Income Trap has created a sensation among economists, politicians, and families-all those who care about America's middle-class crisis.

            Customer Reviews:

            1 out of 5 stars Tax Ignorance.......2007-08-17

            The authors lack of understanding of how federal income taxes are calculated makes all their arguments and assertions suspect. For example, they clearly do not understand the difference between marginal and average tax rates.

            3 out of 5 stars Good data, limited analysis.......2007-04-01

            This book provides many interesting statistics on financial troubles among U.S. households. That said, I didn't necessarily agree with the authors interpretation of peoples financial problems. These authors put nearly all the blame of financil disaster on the society at large, not the individual consumer. It's the banks, gov't, big-box stores, schools, healthcare,... Although I believe all of these are a part of the puzzle, the foundation rests on a citizen (consumer) being suckered in to believing he "needs" a new car ever 5 years, a $300,000 house in the suburbs in a "safe" neighborhood, and prescription insurance for every drug that's on television.
            If you do read this book, follow it with "Your Money or Your Life" by Dominguez. Perhaps the best book ever written on individual financial responsibility.

            5 out of 5 stars Explains with clarity, without blame.......2007-02-24

            In this book, I found an explanation to a question I've often considered: when two-income families of today are raking in more money than our parents' generation, why don't we have the bank accounts to prove it? The over-consumption theories never did make sense to me, since the middle income people I know shop at Walmart, drive old cars, and still worry about the bills. The culprit, to a great extent, is housing, the book theorizes. Americans have used the additional income to create a bidding war for homes in decent school districts in the suburbs, and the authors have the statistics to prove it. Even if I can't control some recommended solutions like implementing a limited school voucher program, there were about 20 pages of tips for the individual consumer. Besides, just understanding the mechanics of the family economy has given me plenty of food for thought. And if you are looking for a step-by-step guide about gaining control of your home finances, try Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover.

            5 out of 5 stars Stretching Too Far For The American Dream.......2006-10-27

            I believe one insightful portion of the dedication to this book sums up its thesis best:

            "..dedicated to all parents who wake up with hearts thudding over the possibility that buying school shoes and Girl Scout uniforms will mean that there won't be enough left over to pay the mortgage... They travel anonymously among us, but we know them. They went to college, had kids, bought a home, played by the rules- and lost."

            This is not the first time that Elizabeth Warren has sounded the alarm about stable, hard-working people going under in droves. Indeed, the contents of this book are actually a graphic, terrifying distillation of two previous books written by Prof. Warren (in collaboration with Teresa Sullivan and Jay Lawrence Westbrook) chronicling the rapidly evolving disaster of consumer bankruptcy in America. The first book, As We Forgive Our Debtors, was an outgrowth of the US Consumer Bankruptcy Project, and looked at all of the key players in consumer bankruptcy, focusing in particular on bankrupt debtors and their creditors; it was very academic in nature, which may have explained its tepid reception in the marketplace (however, I suspect the very incendiary comments and conclusions all throughout the book rankled quite a few feathers in the banking industry, and may well be the real reason the text was conspicuously ignored). The second book, The Fragile Middle Class, focused exclusively on bankrupt debtors, and looked closely at the fallout associated with consumer bankruptcy for several reference groups; it was less academic and more activist in tone, and actually preceded The Two Income Trap in sounding the alarm about US consumer bankruptcy.

            The Two-Income Trap also sounds the alarm, and zeroes in on the reference group everyone would readily say is most likely NOT to go bankrupt: two-income, solidly middle-class mothers and fathers with kids and a home in the burbs. This book, much like the ones before it, dispells the prevailing myths that the bankrupt are ignorant, low-income deadbeats, unrepentant spendthrifts who take advantage of a far-too-lenient system with giddy glee, and have no control over their impulses. Instead, each book has demonstrated that the bankrupt have to have a fairly high degree of financial savvy to even consider bankruptcy, that the majority of the bankrupt are solidly middle class, that most got in over their head in a situation far beyond their control, and all are profoundly embarassed by their bankruptcy, which all of them see not only as a financial failure, but also a personal one, as well.

            Yet, it is also clear to me that the spirit of activism, which was subdued in As We Forgive Our Debtors and quite forceful in The Fragile Middle Class, is not only alive and well in this book, but also very loud, and very clear; indeed, the activist tenor is quite torrential in this narrative. The authors, both women, clearly have written a book to discuss the plight of a particular reference group: middle class women, be they married, single or divorced, with children. This reference group has quickly become the single biggest cohort represented in the bankruptcy rolls. In the book, the authors go so far as to imply that women's liberation has resulted in more than a few of their sisters ending up in the poorhouse.

            Having previously read Lionel Tiger's The Decline of Males, and Warren Farrell's insightful books, Why Men Are The Way They Are and The Myth of Male Power, I found the contents of this book (and the authors' aforementioned implication) most interesting. I submit that equality of the sexes has finally been achieved, albeit in a most peculiar and unorthodox way- via financial insecurity, as nowadays it apparently knows no gender difference. Though my intention is to be partially humorous, I realize that more than a few will take offense at such a comment, but my main thrust is this: what we see before us is all part of a larger plan to reinstate the New And Improved Feudalism upon the masses. Call me crazy if you like, but before you pass judgment, I strongly suggest that the intelligent, thinking individual read Robert Manning's Credit Card Nation for more insight into my claim.

            For many, the pursuit of the American Dream (which many would say was a cute little myth in any event) has devolved from an honest chance at a guaranteed title shot, to little more than a gamble with one's finances resembling Russian Roullette with an interesting twist: instead of one chamber holding a live round, five chambers have live rounds. Lose a job, miss a payment, and you can kiss your house and your middle class existence goodbye.

            Frankly, this game's too rich for my blood, and I think I will pass...

            3 out of 5 stars Insightful in some respects, off-base in others.......2006-10-15

            I thought that the book had some interesting things to offer, like their information on the dramatic increase in housing costs, as it relates to public education. They also note that people aren't spending as much on "extras" as we tend to think, but rather, that families are spending more on housing and cars and such. However, the book also seems to make excuses for poor or lacking financial planning. Upon the birth of one baby, a couple suddenly "needs" a large car with four doors because the baby might eventually have a sibling? Wouldn't it make more financial sense to wait on purchasing the more expensive car if one does not currently have a need for it?
            And while families may be spending the bulk of their money on the acceptable purchase of a house instead of designer handbags, the fact remains that each family tends to buy the most expensive house that their current income can afford, leaving little to no room to account for emergencies.

            American Still Life: The Jim Beam Story and the Making of the World's #1 Bourbon
            Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
            • Fascinating history, wonderfully written
            • An American product by an American Family
            • Whether It's History or Business You're After, Great Read
            • Reads like a novel
            • More than whiskey... Americana!
            American Still Life: The Jim Beam Story and the Making of the World's #1 Bourbon
            F. Paul Pacult
            Manufacturer: Wiley
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Hardcover

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            ASIN: 0471444073

            Book Description

            The untold story of the world's premier bourbon and the family that made it #1

            American Still Life tells the intertwined true stories of America's favorite whiskey and the family dynasty that produces it to this very day. Jim Beam is the world's top-selling bourbon whiskey, with sales of over five million cases per year. Not a day has passed in the 207 years of Jim Beam's existence when a Beam family member has not been master distiller. Dedicated to quality, and dedicated to the family legacy, the Beams have shepherded their particularly American spirit to the top of their industry. And they've done it in an industry beset by challenges, from government regulation and prohibition, to changing consumer tastes, to fierce new global competition. By creating a brand of unparalleled quality and consistency, and by tying the success of their product with the good name of the family, the Beams have established a lasting legacy as perhaps one of the greatest family business dynasties in American history. Not just a simple history of "America's native spirit" (so named by an act of Congress in 1964) or a simple family history, American Still Life is a story of business success based on quality and attention to detail, constant innovation, revolutionary branding and advertising, and adaptation to the business environment.

            F. Paul Pacult (Walkill, NY) is recognized the world over as his generation's most accomplished and respected authority on beverage alcohol. He has written for many magazines, including Playboy, Wine and Spirits, Connoisseur, Whisky, Drink, Men's Journal, Cheers, Country Inns, Travel and Leisure, Bon Appetit, Decanter, and Food and Wine. Among his many accomplishments, he has hosted and coproduced two syndicated talk-radio programs and served as the primary expert on whiskey, beer, and wine for the History Channel documentary America Drinks: History in a Glass.

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            The untold story of the world's premier bourbon and the family that made it #1
            American Still Life tells the intertwined true stories of America's favorite whiskey and the family dynasty that produces it to this very day. Jim Beam is the world's top-selling bourbon whiskey, with sales of over five million cases per year. Not a day has passed in the 207 years of Jim Beam's existence when a Beam family member has not been master distiller. Dedicated to quality, and dedicated to the family legacy, the Beams have shepherded their particularly American spirit to the top of their industry. And they've done it in an industry beset by challenges, from government regulation and prohibition, to changing consumer tastes, to fierce new global competition. By creating a brand of unparalleled quality and consistency, and by tying the success of their product with the good name of the family, the Beams have established a lasting legacy as perhaps one of the greatest family business dynasties in American history. Not just a simple history of "America's native spirit" (so named by an act of Congress in 1964) or a simple family history, American Still Life is a story of business success based on quality and attention to detail, constant innovation, revolutionary branding and advertising, and adaptation to the business environment.
            F. Paul Pacult (Walkill, NY) is recognized the world over as his generation's most accomplished and respected authority on beverage alcohol. He has written for many magazines, including Playboy, Wine and Spirits, Connoisseur, Whisky, Drink, Men's Journal, Cheers, Country Inns, Travel and Leisure, Bon Appetit, Decanter, and Food and Wine. Among his many accomplishments, he has hosted and coproduced two syndicated talk-radio programs and served as the primary expert on whiskey, beer, and wine for the History Channel documentary America Drinks: History in a Glass.

            Customer Reviews:

            5 out of 5 stars Fascinating history, wonderfully written.......2004-03-18

            This book captures a truly unique American product, and a family that was integral to the creation of the industry. As I write this review, Booker Noe's death was just recently announced. The personalities of the larger than life characters like Booker are wonderfully captured within the narrative. Even if you're not a fan of bourbon (philistine!), you'll come away with a great appreciation for the definitive American spirit (both the drink and the people).

            5 out of 5 stars An American product by an American Family.......2003-11-19

            What a great book! I loved it and couldn't put it down. I feel like I was right there with Pacult as he traveled around with Booker Noe. I am not a bourbon drinker, but this book made me wish I had a little bit to sip as I was reading it. Alas I finished reading the book before I could purchase some bourbon.

            5 out of 5 stars Whether It's History or Business You're After, Great Read.......2003-09-29

            This book kept me enthralled for an entire weekend. A great look at a family that created an entire industry with a distinctly American product, Bourbon.

            As the story of a facinating family, the author gently takes you through the many generations of the Beams without getting you lost in a morass of detail. You remain excited waiting for the next turn in their fortunes, and you get a wonderful look at the many personalities involved in building the Bourbon industry over time in the process.

            When I think about the book from a business standpoint, Paul Pacult succeeded in conveying the patience and the passion these people have for their product, and how they manage to maintain that passion, literally over generations. In a world of managing quarter to quarter, the Beams are a refreshing change.

            A very-well written, facinating look at a piece of Americana. I heartily recommend it.

            5 out of 5 stars Reads like a novel.......2003-09-22

            I read American Still Life this Summer. It reads like a Michener novel. I prefer reading non-fiction but most non-fiction is boring and tedious. So I was pleased when I had a chance to read this book. It's a strong testament to our American founders and to the Beams, American icons, who 'took the pain' out of the daily struggles. Great Read!

            5 out of 5 stars More than whiskey... Americana!.......2003-09-16

            Much like an inspiring Ansel Adams photo or a heart-warming Norman Rockwell illustration, Pacult instills (pun intended) the human side of the story in this fascinating view of Americana. I drink bourbon only on rare occasion, say after a wonderful dinner. But I love history... because good history is life! The first part of this title tells it all: "American Still Life."

            This ain't just about makin' whiskey. Indeed, Pacult well knows what goes on inside those aging barrels, and he doesn't let the wine and spirits connoisseur down with the technical side, and artistic side, of making great bourbon. For me, this book is more about Jim Beam, the legend! Pacult does a wonderful job in bringing history - and the present day human condition - to life!

            Books:

            1. Practicing Econometrics: Essays in Method and Application (Economists of the Twentieth Century)
            2. Priorities for coexistence
            3. Public Finance and Public Choice: Two Contrasting Visions of the State (CESifo Book Series)
            4. Quest for the Perfect Strawberry: A Case Study of the California Strawberry Commission And the Strawberry Industry: a Descriptive Model for Marketing Order Evaluation
            5. Reaching for Heaven on Earth: The Theological Meaning of Economics
            6. Readings in Mathematical Economics, Vol. 2: Capital and Growth
            7. Ricardo's Macroeconomics: Money, Trade Cycles, and Growth (Historical Perspectives on Modern Economics)
            8. Seeking Shelter on the Pacific Rim: Financial Globalization, Social Change, and the Housing Market
            9. Selling the Free Market: The Rhetoric of Economic Correctness
            10. Silent Theft: The Private Plunder of Our Common Wealth

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