Art

Featured Review

       This is a review of “The Romantic Manifesto” by Ayn Rand.
       This book is good for artists and laypeople that want to gain a conceptual understanding of what art is, why it is important, and how to evaluate it.
       The material in this book is unique because it explains that art is not a subjective phenomenon; it is objective and can be objectively evaluated. It also explains the relationship between art and the mind, and the role art plays in a person’s cognition. It is a conceptual approach to art that will help you evaluate all works of art.
       Order your copy of the Romantic Manifesto here

Business

Featured Reviews

       This is a review of “Start Up: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Launching and Managing a New Business” by William J. Stolze.
       This book is for people who want to be entrepreneurs. The author covers all subjects necessary for achieving business success. It is a well-conceived book and it is clearly written, which makes it easy to read and understand. More important, the material in this book works.
       It was written by a person who worked for a large manufacturing company—only to quit and start his own business. His venture grew into a major success, employing over 1000 people and generating millions of dollars annually before he sold it to another company. This business is still thriving after many decades. It still creates products, employment, and profits year after year. Everything the author learned in his highly successful business career is clearly presented in 288 pages.
       If you want to start your own business venture—whether a part-time concern or a large public corporation—you will want to gain the practical information in Start Up. I have personally talked with the author and he is a pleasant man who is genuinely interested in helping other entrepreneurs succeed. While he is very rich, he is down to earth and his advice is helpful.
       Order your copy of Start Up here

       This is a review of “Only the Paranoid Survive” by Andrew S. Grove.
       The central focus of this book is a concept the author calls a Strategic Inflection Point. This is when something occurs that unavoidably affects your business and you can no longer do business as usual. The author draws from personal experiences in his own successful business career to identify and provide examples of Strategic Inflection Points.
       With this book you will gain an invaluable tool to assist you with major changes in your business or personal life. You will also gain a broad understanding of the computer industry and see how major corporations like IBM, DEC, Intel, and Motorola dealt with Strategic Inflection Points.
       This is a well-written book that is interesting to read. It provides helpful advice for business owners, managers, and people who are facing a career change.
       Order your copy of Only the Paranoid Survive here
       This book is also available as an audiotape program here

       This is a review of “An Eye for Winners” by Lillian Vernon.
       This is a fascinating story of a woman who decided to sell a handbag with customized initials on it. She placed ads in woman’s magazines and has generated profits ever since. Today she operates one of the most successful mail-order businesses in the world. It all started with a simple idea and a desire to succeed.
       The author tells a first-hand account of every step she took including her family’s flight from Nazi Germany and her love experiences and her business actions. She writes in a clear and informative style, and her book is enjoyable to read. Anyone who questions a woman’s ability to become a self-made multi-millionaire needs to read this book. Her story is remarkable.
       Order your copy of An Eye for Winners here

       This is a review of “The 100 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Business Success” by Brian Tracy.
       I have been studying the works of Brian Tracy for many years and have been happy with the material he teaches. Brian Tracy is libertarian in his political views and he is definitely success oriented when it comes to business and personal life. After producing several best-selling knowledge products, this work is a culmination of his ideas.
       In this book you will encounter a wealth of knowledge in the form of laws or principles you can use now to improve your business and personal life. Many of the principles you already know; others will be new to you. There is too much material to digest in one reading. But even if you apply one or a few ideas from this book, your life will improve.
       Brian Tracy draws from literature throughout history including the Bible, Shakespeare, success literature, famous leaders, popular quotes, and more. It brings his decades of research into one book so you do not have to study all the knowledge products he created. The 100 laws are arranged in the following categories: the laws of life, success, business, leadership, money, selling, negotiating, and time management. Learn from one of the masters of personal success and your life will improve.
       Order your copy of The 100 Unbreakable Laws here
       This book is also available as an audiotape program here

       This is a review of “Rich Dad’s Guide to Investing” by Robert T. Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter.
       The author of this book had a unique life experience. He had a rich person mentor him since he was 9 years of age. The author, Robert Kiyosaki, called his mentor “rich dad”, who coached him throughout his life. Through the years Robert gained wisdom and practical advice from his “rich dad” about how to become financially wealthy.
       In this book Robert reveals what he learned about becoming rich through investing. He describes the foundation needed to become an Ultimate Investor, which includes self-discipline and a mastery of one’s emotions. Then he explains that the wealthiest investors are “inside investors” who do not buy stocks to become rich. Instead, they sell shares of their own company like Bill Gates and Michael Dell have done. He then explains how to build your own company using helpful concepts such as the Cashflow Quadrant, the business pyramid, and the business tetrahedron model.
       His explanations are easy to understand. Plus, his illustrations enhance the discussion of building a business and becoming an Ultimate Investor. This book is recommended for anyone who wants to succeed in building a business and becoming an investor.
       Order your copy of Rich Dad’s Guide to Investing here
       This book is also available as an audiotape program here

Computers

Featured Reviews

       This is a review of “Weaving the Web” by Tim Berners-Lee.
       The author of this book created the technology required for you to read this. He is a creative genius that did more for freedom than nearly all other freedom-fighters combined.
       His technology enables people to read documents on any computer from any other computer by giving an address to each document and a protocol for computers to communicate with each other. He named this technology the World Wide Web, and he is the creator of acronyms such as WWW, HTTP, and URL.
       In an amazingly clear and interesting writing style, Tim Berners-Lee takes you on a journey from his early conception of the Web in the 1980s to its development in the 1990s and his projections for the Web in the 21st century. He is a visionary who made his dream come true and has revolutionized the world as a result.
       This book is recommended for anyone who uses the Internet extensively for business or personal purposes. You get the full story from the man who revolutionized the way human beings communicate, learn, conduct business, and live.
       Order your copy of Weaving the Web here
       This book is also available as an audiotape program here

       This is a review of “The Road Ahead” by Bill Gates, et. al.
       If you want to learn about computers, how they work, and how people interact with computers, the best place to start is with a computer expert. Bill Gates certainly qualifies as a computer expert.
       This book reveals the basics of computers. It also describes how Bill Gates got started in computing and built Microsoft. You will get a good introduction to computers and how they will become an integral part of everyone’s life.
       The Road Ahead is recommended for people without a computer background but who want or need to know the essentials of computing. Read this interesting and informational book by the man who almost single-handedly lifted our world into the information age.
       Order your copy of The Road Ahead here
       This book is also available as an audiotape program here

Criminology

Featured Review

       This is a review of “Inside the Criminal Mind” by Stanton E. Samenow.
       This book is based on years of experience in dealing with criminals and analyzing their thinking patterns and behavior. The author comes to an irrefutable conclusion based on extensive case studies. People become criminals not because they grew up in a bad environment or due to poverty or other external circumstances. They choose to become criminals through personal choice, and they use a criminal mode of thinking.
       Inside the Criminal Mind provides a comprehensive look at the volitional thought processes of criminals. It helps the reader understand the true nature of criminals. It is a recommended book for anyone interested in the psychology of criminals, and it is helpful for people who want to protect themselves from criminals. After reading this book you will no longer have sympathy for criminals, who were once believed to be victims of society.
       Order your copy of Inside the Criminal Mind here

Economics

Featured Reviews

       This is a review of “Economics in One Lesson” by Henry Hazlitt.
       This is a great introduction to the world of economics. Henry Hazlitt writes in a clear and engaging style. He summarizes the major aspects of economics in this brief but insightful book.
       Hazlitt supports free-market economics and he skillfully refutes the myriad economic fallacies prevalent in academics and politics. Read this book and you will gain a clear understanding of economic concepts including taxes, credit, employment, government intervention, tariffs, parity, pricing, price controls, and minimum wage laws.
       This book is recommended for people who want to understand free-market economics. It is perhaps the best place to start for learning the basics of economics.
       Order your copy of Economics in One Lesson here
       This book is also available as an audiotape program here

       This is a review of “Webonomics” by Evan I. Schwartz.
       With the birth of the Web comes the rise of the Web economy. Evan Schwartz pioneers this new economy in this book and explains how to profit from it. Drawing from existing Web businesses, Schwartz discusses key concepts for doing business on the Web.
       His writing is easy to understand and you do not need to be a computer expert to follow his discussions. He skillfully presents nine principles for developing a business on the Web. This advice is practical and effective.
       If you are doing business on the Web or will do so in the future, this book is worth reading. Even if you are just interested in how the new Web economy works, this book will enlighten you.
       Order your copy of Webonomics here

Education

Featured Review

       This is a review of “Self University” by Charles D. Hayes.
       This book is a classic in the realm of self-directed learning. The author explains how self-education works and the benefits you will gain.
       Charles Hayes writes in a clear, down-to-earth style and imparts helpful information throughout this book. It is useful for people who want to continue learning beyond the institutionalized educational experience. You will gain valuable knowledge and inspiration from this book.
       Order your copy of Self University here

Fiction

Featured Reviews

       This is a review of “Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand.
       Ayn Rand’s books have sold over twenty million copies. If you only read one of her works, this is the one to read. It synthesizes her entire philosophy into a unique but compelling story.
       This book is recommended for two reasons. First, it is a great work of literature by any standard. The story is complex yet easy to follow, intriguing yet fulfilling. It is a timeless classic that ranks with the best works by Hemingway, Tolstoy, Fitzgerald, and other giants of literature.
       Second, it is a complete presentation of Ayn Rand’s unique philosophy of Objectivism. Her philosophy is revealed not in an abstract theoretical format, but in the concrete actions and expressions of living characters. Thus you get a double value with this novel. You get a great story that delivers a powerful message. Who is John Galt? Find out in this masterpiece.
       Order your copy of Atlas Shrugged here
       This book is also available as an audiotape program here

       This is a review of The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand.
       The Fountainhead captures Ayn Rand’s development at the height of her Nietzschean influence. This story presents an architect Howard Roark as a kind of superman who struggles against mediocrity and conformity that surround him. Through arduous experiences he eventually prevails in work and love.
       It is an interesting story to read, but the book contains a deeper message. The Fountainhead contrasts the independent spirit with the dependent or parasitical soul, and shows the consequences of each character. It is a bold statement about the virtue of independence and self-reliance.
       This is a well-written story with forceful characters and an action-filled plot. It is the book that gave Ayn Rand her lasting fame as a novelist.
       Order your copy of the Fountainhead here
       This book is also available as an audiotape program here

       This is a review of “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas.
       If you like thriller stories, go no further: This book is for you. It tells a story of a young sailor who through his ability becomes captain and wins the love of a beautiful girl. But his success arouses envy, and envious people frame this young man, landing him in jail through a series of unjust actions.
       Trapped in a dungeon with a life sentence for a crime he did not commit, the young Edmund Dantes becomes enlightened by a wise old man. Through a series of shrewd maneuvers, Edmund Dantes breaks free and gets revenge in a way his enemies never could have imagined.
       This romantic novel has been popular since it was first published in the mid-19th century. Read this story and you will know why it is a consistent favorite.
       Order your copy of The Count of Monte Cristo here
       This book is also available as an audiotape program here

       This is a review of The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James.
       William James is a noted American philosopher. His brother Henry is a famed novelist. This work, Portrait of a Lady, is Henry James’ masterpiece. It is like the full version of his novella titled Daisy Miller.
       Henry James is a masterful writer. His ability to create characters, situations, and settings with the written word is unsurpassed. You will come to like certain characters in this novel, especially the protagonist Isabel Archer. She is a young, naive American who is brought to a sophisticated European society.
       While there, men of means pursue her. But she rejects their proposals to remain free and see the world. How does this naive young lady end up in a sophisticated culture in 19th century Europe? You will need to read this masterpiece to find out.
       Order your copy of Portrait of a Lady here
       This book is also available as an audiotape program here

       This is a review of “Crime and Punishment” by Fyodor Dostoevsky.
       Crime and Punishment is Dostoevsky’s most popular novel. It is a story of a student who, seeing the criminal actions of so-called great leaders like Napoleon, rationalizes theft and murder. Believing that “great men” are justified to kill and rob to achieve higher purposes, the protagonist Raskolnikov kills an old pawnbroker woman.
       He views this as a good deed, that he is bettering the world because he believes the pawnbroker cheated her customers. Plus Raskolnikov needed the money.
       The story progresses after the murder scene and reveals the consequences of Raskolnikov’s grim philosophy as he wanders the streets of Russia. This is Dostoevsky at his best, exposing the psychology of the criminal mind in a well-written tale of murder and suspense.
       Order your copy of Crime and Punishment here
       This book is also available as an audiotape program here

       This is a review of “Arrowsmith” by Sinclair Lewis.
       This is the most widely read novel by Sinclair Lewis, himself a giant among twentieth century novelists. It is a story of a young Martin Arrowsmith who sets out to become a medical doctor. Along the way he encounters problems that beset the medical profession including difficulties at college, conflicts of interest in the medical profession, and so on.
       The story unfolds with love, tragedy, and success. It is amazing how the author can, through words, make you feel like you are right there with these characters, experiencing their situations. This is recommended for people who are interested in science, medicine, and the health profession.
       Order your copy of Arrowsmith here
       This book is also available as an audiotape program here

       This is a review of The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway.
       This novella is a great introduction to Ernest Hemingway’s literature. It is a popular story of Santiago, an old fisherman who sets out to sea to catch a fish. After no luck, he finally hooks a large fish, one that puts up the greatest fight of his life.
       This is a story of struggle, of effort, of persistence, and of success. After days of wrestling with the giant marlin, Santiago finally reels him in and ties him to the boat. On the way back to shore some sharks eat portions of the Marlin. But the old fisherman comes back to shore with the largest catch of his life. He retires to his bed afterward, dreaming of his favorite scene.
       The clarity and writing style of Ernest Hemingway is unmatched. Read this book that helped him win the 1954 Nobel Prize for Literature.
       Order your copy of The Old Man and the Sea here
       This book is also available as an audiotape program here

       This is a review of One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn.
       Solzhenitsyn can write a descriptive story unlike any other author. His ability to describe details while maintaining the overall picture is superb. This is a story of Shukhov, a man in a Soviet prison labor camp in Siberia.
       The remarkable prose of Solzhenitsyn will bring you directly into the labor camp to experience brutal, subhuman conditions. Without leaving the comfort of your home, you will experience through Solzhenitsyn’s words the pain, hunger, cold, and abuse the prison laborers endured day after day, year after year.
       While the story is remarkable for its literary skill, it also reveals a wider issue. It reveals the incredible oppression of the Stalin-era Soviet Republic, and how so many men were turned into slave labor for political reasons despite never having committed an objective crime. It is a chilling story of a real-life situation that occurred in the twentieth century.
       Order your copy of One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich here
       This book is also available as an audiotape program here