tech+info+resources underground

Lucian’s Place is a tale of far-fetched proportions, yet so
close to the possibilities of our own present technologies
that it is quite believable.

The idea of three people and their immediate surroundings
(a high-tech self-sustained ranch) being thrown back in time
might seem a trifle wild, yet the author gives it all a sense of
normalcy that distracts you from that. As the characters
discover they are defending their very lives from strange
creatures from another time, the dangers never relent. With
the help of an aware computer that thinks acts and feels like
a human, the battle to simply survive is eased somewhat,
however the question of returning to their proper time is
inherent.

Belle Smith gives us a great science fiction read without the
typical concoction of space travel and high-tech aliens.
Instead, she keeps us on Earth with a taste of what
computers, combined with nano-technology and human
creativity, may achieve for us in the not too distant future… or
should I say past? Her unique vision of how civilization
might be rebuilt from scratch with minimal impact on the
environment makes for an inspiring read.

Lucian’s Place is a definite page-turner and a book I found
very hard to put down. Guaranteed to make you think
differently before cursing your home computer!

ISBN#: 1-4137-6963-2
Author: Belle Smith
Publisher: Publish America
Pages: 364

Book Reviewer: Dave Brummet - Co-author of the book
Trash Talk, a guide for anyone concerned about their impact
on the environment
(http://www.sunshinecable.com/~drumit)

A mouse took a stroll through the deep dark wood
A fox saw the mouse and the mouse looked good

This is the start of the popular children’s story written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Alex Scheffler.

Plot
A mouse goes for a walk in the woods. He meets an owl, a snake and a fox, who invite him for lunch. The mouse wisely suspects that he might be the main course and refuses, saying that he’s lunching with the gruffalo. He describes some of the gruffalo’s more offputting features to the animals and manages to continue his walk until, to his surprise, he comes face to face with the real gruffalo, who wants to eat him. The mouse then uses a bit of ingenuity to attempt to save his skin.

Book description
The book comes in lots of varieties. There is a 24 page board book (which is the one I have and which retails at $4.99) and a large format paperback book, similar to others in the series. The front cover shows a picture of the mouse and the gruffalo and there are colorful illustrations on every page, not just of the main characters, but of their homes and surroundings, providing plenty for both children and adults to look at. The style of illustration is a bit strange (lots of bulging eyes and faces) but the animals are recognizable and you soon get used to it.

Rhyme time
The story is told in rhyming verse. As with most children’s book, there is repetition of the essential elements as the mouse encounters each animal and by the third reading, my daughter was able to fill in the words at the end of each line (wood/good; mouse/house; no/gruffalo) as well as to fill in the parts of the gruffalo’s body described in the early part of the story. A year later, she’s repeating whole phrases and it probably won’t be long till she knows the story by heart.

But will they learn anything?
It’s a very good story, but there are also educational elements as well, if that’s what you want. While reading this story, your offspring can learn the names and living spaces of the different animals, as well as parts of the body and colors.

What we thought
For a short time (two year olds can be quite fickle) it was my daughter’s favorite story, which had to be read at least five times a day. Even now, a year later, it is a story she requests regularly.

I love this story too and never get tired of reading it (which is perhaps just as well). It’s great fun to read aloud because of the rhymes and the voices you can do for the different animals. The cleverness of such a small creature is also attractive to small readers. This is a story that is destined to be on our bookshelf for quite a while. I look forward to the day when my daughter can read it to me.

Beyond the Gruffalo
There is a sequel, The Gruffalo’s Child, as well as an audiobook titled The Gruffalo Song.

My daughter and I loved the story so much that we were delighted when she received a couple of other books by the pair: The Snail and the Whale and Monkey Puzzle. I’ve also bought The Smartest Giant in Town (also sold as The Spiffiest Giant in Town in the US) and have A Squash and a Squeeze and Room on the Broom firmly in my sights. All of them are great stories and are available at around $10.Many have audiobooks and other add-ons to go with them.

Final word
The Gruffalo is suitable for all ages and has everything you would want in a book, whether for adults or children: great characters, good plot and a twist in the tale. Don’t miss it.

Sharon Hurley Hall is a freelance writer, ghostwriter and editor. Sharon worked in publishing for 18 years, writing articles and editing and designing books and magazines. She has also lectured on journalism. For more information or to contact Sharon, visit http://www.doublehdesign.com/

The author of Be the Leader: Make the Difference, a “manual for leaders,” speaks not from theory and research alone. Paul B. Thornton is a consultant, trainer, and speaker specializing in the areas of management, leadership and team building. He has long assisted organizations in the selection and development of leaders at various levels. He has trained over 7,000 supervisors and managers to be more effective leaders.

Thornton believes that everyone has untapped leadership abilities. Organizations must strive to identify, strengthen, and utilize this tremendous potential in today’s competitive and demanding business world. The author visualizes leadership as a complex puzzle consisting of various pieces such as creating a mission/vision, establishing beliefs/values, gaining alignment, empowering, bench marking, motivating, training, and mentoring to name a few. The test for leaders is determining a way to fit the pieces together. Therefore, the author has created a 3-C Leadership Model (challenge - confidence - coaching) which provides a framework to inform leaders what they should do, how they should do it, and when they should do it. His basic premise is that leaders provide their followers with something they can’t provide themselves. Let’s face it, people need help in seeing what’s possible, confidence to take action, and coaching in how to proceed.

Early in the book, Thornton describes the 3-C Leadership Model itself, explains what leaders do in performing each of the key roles and discusses the relationship of the three components. He goes on to provide in-depth discussion of various techniques leaders can use to challenge people using a step-by-step formula for each technique. He then explains various approaches, including “how-to” examples, that leaders use to build confidence in their associates. He continues by describing when and how leaders perform the role of coach and teacher using stories and examples to highlight some world-class coaches.

Much added value is offered in the form of many revealing case studies and examples involving well-known people and organizations. You’ll also find a “Be the Leader Survey” instrument to assist you in evaluating your own leadership skills. This survey focuses on the seven major aspects of the 3-C Leadership Model and may also be used as a 360 Feedback instrument by having it completed by bosses, peers, team members, customers, and direct reports. You’ll also enjoy an in-depth bibliography and many valuable resources to further your quest for knowledge.

In short, this text provides a practical, concise, easy-to-understand leadership model and valuable guidance on how to develop your leadership skills. It’s a valuable addition to any business or personal library.

More than 100 business book reviews written by Harry K. Jones are available at http://www.AchieveMax.com/books/.

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Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax^®, Inc., a firm specializing in custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has made presentations ranging from leadership to employee retention and time management to stress management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. He can be reached at 800-886-2MAX or by visiting http://www.AchieveMax.com.