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The Halo Effect: ... and the Eight Other Business Delusions That Deceive Managers
by Phil RosenzweigWith two new chapters and a new preface, the award-winning book The Halo Effect continues to unmask the delusions found in the corporate world and provides a sharp understanding of what drives business success and failure.Too many of today’s most prominent management gurus make steel-clad guarantees based on claims of irrefutable research, promising to reveal the secrets of why one company fails and another succeeds, and how you can become the latter. Combining equal measures of solemn-faced hype and a wide range of popular business delusions, statistical and otherwise, these self-styled experts cloud our ability to think critically about the nature of success. Central among these delusions is the Halo Effect—the tendency to focus on the high financial performance of a successful company and then spread its golden glow to all its attributes—clear strategy, strong values, brilliant leadership, and outstanding execution. But should the same company’s sales head south, the very same attributes are universally derided—suddenly the strategy was wrong, the culture was complacent, and the leader became arrogant. The Halo Effect not only identifies these delusions that keep us from understanding business performance, but also suggests a more accurate way to think about leading a company. This approach—focusing on strategic choice and execution, while recognizing the inherent riskiness of both—clarifies the priorities that managers face. Brilliant and unconventional, irreverent and witty, The Halo Effect is essential reading for anyone wanting to separate fact from fiction in the world of business.
Empire of Dreams: The Epic Life of Cecil B. DeMille
by Scott EymanBEST KNOWN AS THE DIRECTOR of such spectacular films as The Ten Commandments and King of Kings, Cecil B. DeMille lived a life as epic as any of his cinematic masterpieces. As a child DeMille learned the Bible from his father, a theology student and playwright who introduced Cecil and his older brother, William, to the theater. Tutored by impresario David Belasco, DeMille discovered how audiences responded to showmanship: sets, lights, costumes, etc. He took this knowledge with him to Los Angeles in 1913, where he became one of the movie pioneers, in partnership with Jesse Lasky and Lasky’s brother-in-law Samuel Goldfish (later Goldwyn). Working out of a barn on streets fragrant with orange blossom and pepper trees, the Lasky company turned out a string of successful silents, most of them directed by DeMille, who became one of the biggest names of the silent era. With films such as The Squaw Man, Brewster’s Millions, Joan the Woman, and Don’t Change Your Husband, he was the creative backbone of what would become Paramount Studios. In 1923 he filmed his first version of The Ten Commandments and later a second biblical epic, King of Kings, both enormous box-office successes. Although his reputation rests largely on the biblical epics he made, DeMille’s personal life was no morality tale. He remained married to his wife, Constance, for more than fifty years, but for most of the marriage he had three mistresses simultaneously, all of whom worked for him. He showed great loyalty to a small group of actors who knew his style, but he also discovered some major stars, among them Gloria Swanson, Claudette Colbert, and later, Charlton Heston. DeMille was one of the few silent-era directors who made a completely successful transition to sound. In 1952 he won the Academy Award for Best Picture with The Greatest Show on Earth. When he remade The Ten Commandments in 1956, it was an even bigger hit than the silent version. He could act, too: in Billy Wilder’s classic film Sunset Boulevard, DeMille memorably played himself. In the 1930s and 1940s DeMille became a household name thanks to the Lux Radio Theater, which he hosted. But after falling out with a union, he gave up the program, and his politics shifted to the right as he championed loyalty oaths and Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s anticommunist witch hunts. As Scott Eyman brilliantly demonstrates in this superbly researched biography, which draws on a massive cache of DeMille family papers not available to previous biographers, DeMille was much more than his clichéd image. A gifted director who worked in many genres; a devoted family man and loyal friend with a highly unconventional personal life; a pioneering filmmaker: DeMille comes alive in these pages, a legend whose spectacular career defined an era.
Great Books
by David Denby*NATIONAL BESTSELLER* &“A lively adventure of the mind...The tone of the prose...is one of unqualified enthusiasm: energy, vigor, intellectual curiosity, and what might be called an ecstasy of imaginative journalism.&” —The New York Times Book ReviewAt the age of forty-eight, writer and film critic David Denby returned to Columbia University and re-enrolled in two core courses in Western civilization to confront the literary and philosophical masterpieces -- the "great books" -- that are now at the heart of the culture wars. In Great Books, he leads us on a glorious tour, a rediscovery and celebration of such authors as Homer and Boccaccio, Locke and Nietzsche. Conrad and Woolf. The resulting personal odyssey is an engaging blend of self-discovery, cultural commentary, reporting, criticism, and autobiography -- an inspiration for anyone in love with the written word.
Soil: The Story of a Black Mother's Garden
by Camille T DungyA &“heartfelt and thoroughly enriching&” (Aimee Nezhukumatathil, New York Times bestselling author of World of Wonders) work that expands on how we talk about the natural world and the environment as National Book Critics Circle finalist Camille T. Dungy diversifies her garden to reflect her heritage.In Soil: The Story of a Black Mother&’s Garden poet and scholar Camille T. Dungy recounts the seven-year odyssey to diversify her garden in the predominantly white community of Fort Collins, Colorado. When she moved there in 2013, with her husband and daughter, the community held strict restrictions about what residents could and could not plant in their gardens. In resistance to the homogenous policies that limited the possibility and wonder that grows from the earth, Dungy employs the various plants, herbs, vegetables, and flowers she grows in her garden as metaphor and treatise for how homogeneity threatens the future of our planet, and why cultivating diverse and intersectional language in our national discourse about the environment is the best means of protecting it. &“Brilliant and beautiful&” (Ross Gay, New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Delights), Soil functions as the nexus of nature writing, environmental justice, and prose to encourage you to recognize the relationship between the people of the African diaspora and the land on which they live, and to understand that wherever soil rests beneath their feet is home.
God's Favorite: A Novel
by Lawrence WrightIn this fascinating work of historical fiction, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Lawrence Wright captures all the gripping drama and black humor of Panama during the final, nerve-racking days of its legendary dictator, Manuel Antonio Noriega.It is Christmas 1989, and Tony Noriega's demons are finally beginning to catch up with him. A former friend of President Bush, Fidel Castro, and Oliver North, this universally reviled strongman is on the run from the U.S. Congress, the Justice Department, the Colombian mob, and a host of political rivals. In his desperation, he seeks salvation from any and all quarters -- God, Satan, a voodoo priest, even the spirits of his murdered enemies. But with a million-dollar price on his head and 20,000 American soldiers on his trail, Noriega is fast running out of options. Drawn from a historical record more dramatic than even the most artful spy novel, God's Favorite is a riveting and darkly comic fictional account of the events that occurred in Panama from 1985 to the dictator's capture in 1989. With an award-winning journalist's eye for detail, Lawrence Wright leads the reader toward a dramatic face-off in the Vatican embassy, where Noriega confronts his psychological match in the papal nuncio.
The Homesman: A Novel
by Glendon SwarthoutNow a major film directed by and starring Tommy Lee Jones and co-starring Meryl Streep, Hilary Swank, and John Lithgow, this classic Western novel captures the devastating realities of early frontier life through the eyes of one extraordinary woman.Now a major motion picture directed by Tommy Lee Jones, The Homesman is a devastating story of early pioneers in 1850s American West. It celebrates the ones we hear nothing of: the brave women whose hearts and minds were broken by a life of bitter hardship. A &“homesman&” must be found to escort a handful of them back East to a sanitarium. When none of the county&’s men steps up, the job falls to Mary Bee Cuddy—ex-teacher, spinster, indomitable and resourceful. Brave as she is, Mary Bee knows she cannot succeed alone. The only companion she can find is the low-life claim jumper George Briggs. Thus begins a trek east, against the tide of colonization, against hardship, Indian attacks, ice storms, and loneliness—a timeless classic told in a series of tough, fast-paced adventures. In an unprecedented sweep, Glendon Swarthout&’s novel won both the Western Writers of America&’s Spur Award and the Western Heritage Wrangler Award. A new afterword by the author&’s son Miles Swarthout tells of his parents Glendon and Kathryn&’s discovery of and research into the lives of the oft-forgotten frontier women who make The Homesman as moving and believable as it is unforgettable.
Family-School Success for Children with ADHD: A Guide for Intervention (The Guilford Practical Intervention in the Schools Series)
by Thomas J. Power Jennifer A. Mautone Stephen L. SofferDistilling decades of research, this practical manual presents an innovative intervention for families of 6- to 10-year-olds (grades 1–5) with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Family–School Success (FSS) focuses on improving children's behavior and academic performance by strengthening parent–child, teacher–student, and family–school relationships. Detailed guidelines are provided for implementing FSS with parent groups or individual families, including how to involve children in groups and collaborate with teachers. The authors discuss ways to deliver FSS effectively in school- and clinic-based settings, private practice, and primary care. In a convenient large-size format, the book features dozens of reproducible parent handouts and worksheets, assessment tools, and fidelity checklists, which can also be downloaded and printed. This book is in The Guilford Practical Intervention in the Schools Series, edited by Sandra M. Chafouleas.
Confederate Visions: Nationalism, Symbolism, and the Imagined South in the Civil War (A Nation Divided)
by Ian BinningtonNationalism in nineteenth-century America operated through a collection of symbols, signifiers citizens could invest with meaning and understanding. In Confederate Visions, Ian Binnington examines the roots of Confederate nationalism by analyzing some of its most important symbols: Confederate constitutions, treasury notes, wartime literature, and the role of the military in symbolizing the Confederate nation.Nationalisms tend to construct glorified pasts, idyllic pictures of national strength, honor, and unity, based on visions of what should have been rather than what actually was. Binnington considers the ways in which the Confederacy was imagined by antebellum Southerners employing intertwined mythic concepts—the "Worthy Southron," the "Demon Yankee," the "Silent Slave"—and a sense of shared history that constituted a distinctive Confederate Americanism. The Worthy Southron, the constructed Confederate self, was imagined as a champion of liberty, counterposed to the Demon Yankee other, a fanatical abolitionist and enemy of Liberty. The Silent Slave was a companion to the vocal Confederate self, loyal and trusting, reliable and honest.The creation of American national identity was fraught with struggle, political conflict, and bloody Civil War. Confederate Visions examines literature, newspapers and periodicals, visual imagery, and formal state documents to explore the origins and development of wartime Confederate nationalism.
Redwood and Ponytail
by K.A. HoltKate and Tam meet, and both of their worlds tip sideways. At first, Tam figures Kate is your stereotypical cheerleader; Kate sees Tam as another tall jock. And the more they keep running into each other, the more they surprise each other. Beneath Kate's sleek ponytail and perfect façade, Tam sees a goofy, sensitive, lonely girl. And Tam's so much more than a volleyball player, Kate realizes: She's everything Kate wishes she could be. It's complicated. Except it's not. When Kate and Tam meet, they fall in like. It's as simple as that. But not everybody sees it that way. This novel in verse about two girls discovering their feelings for each other is a universal story of finding a way to be comfortable in your own skin.
The Other Half of Happy
by Rebecca BalcárcelQuijana is a girl in pieces. One-half Guatemalan, one-half American: When Quijana's Guatemalan cousins move to town, her dad seems ashamed that she doesn't know more about her family's heritage. One-half crush, one-half buddy: When Quijana meets Zuri and Jayden, she knows she's found true friends. But she can't help the growing feelings she has for Jayden. One-half kid, one-half grown-up: Quijana spends her nights Skyping with her ailing grandma and trying to figure out what's going on with her increasingly hard-to-reach brother. In the course of this immersive and beautifully written novel, Quijana must figure out which parts of herself are most important, and which pieces come together to make her whole. This lyrical debut from Rebecca Balcárcel is a heartfelt poetic portrayal of a girl growing up, fitting in, and learning what it means to belong.
Pigs in a Blanket
by Hans WilhelmFollow the daily adventures of three spirited pigs and the importance of bedtime.Three little piglets are all bundled up and as cozy as can be. Young readers will follow their wacky antics and ever-changing wardrobes as these energetic pigs jump, prance, and dance through a fun-filled day before finally climbing back into bed. A delightful rhyme reinforces key daily rituals and the importance of winding down the day and going to sleep.Hans Wilhelm has written and illustrated over 200 books for children and adults including the popular Guess Which Hand.Fans of Giraffes Can't Dance and If Animals Kissed Good Night will love taking the excited piglets through their adventure-filled day and putting them to bed at night.Great book for preschoolers and early readers that reinforces daily routines and the importance of bedtime.
One Is a Piñata: A Book of Numbers
by Roseanne Greenfield ThongOne is a rainbow. One is a cake. One is a piñata that's ready to break! In this lively picture book, a companion to the Pura Belpré–honored Green Is a Chile Pepper, children discover a fiesta of numbers in the world around them, all the way from one to ten: Two are maracas and cold ice creams, six are salsas and flavored aguas. Many of the featured objects are Latino in origin, and all are universal in appeal. With rich, boisterous illustrations, a fun-to-read rhyming text, and an informative glossary, this vibrant book enumerates the joys of counting and the wonders that abound in every child's day!
The Pocket Guru: Guidance and mantras for spiritual awakening and emotional wisdom
by Siri Sat SinghFrom Dr. Siri Sat Nam, a licensed therapist who stars on Viceland's The Therapist, The Pocket Guru offers emotional centeredness and mental peace. Using Dr. Siri's calming style, the book presents readers with 108 topics to focus on—including commitment, forgiveness, intimacy, and love—and mantras to help them find personal growth and fulfillment. Packed with wisdom on discovering spiritual harmony, meditative practices targeting 11 different aspects of self, and a simple format that invites readers to dip in and out or read the book from start to finish, this is a rich source for deepening self-awareness.
The Pink Book: An Illustrated Celebration of the Color, from Bubblegum to Battleships
by Kaye BlegvadWhat do we think of when we think pink? In this richly illustrated homage to the color, artist Kaye Blegvad explores its significance across history and cultures, from gender connotations to product marketing, symbols and iconography, and more. Through engaging mini essays, interactive exercises, object studies, and interviews, readers will learn about a vibrant miscellany of pink facts and pink occurrences: like iconic applications of the color, from Elvis's cars to cotton candy; or the etymology of phrases like "tickled pink," "pink slip," or "rose-tinted glasses." This ebook will captivate those with a passion for pink and anyone with a curiosity about color.
The Rituals: Simple Practices to Cultivate Well-Being, Deepen Relationships, and Discover Your True Purpose
by Natalie MacNeilThis stirring collection presents spiritual rituals from around the world and offers guidance on bringing the powerful practices into modern life. Filled with fascinating details on the history and meaning behind a wide range of sacred rituals for love, awareness, joy, and so much more, this timeless handbook guides readers through more than 40 empowering practices—including a candlelight ritual for renewal, a soothing ritual for unwinding, and a tea ceremony for fostering connection and gratitude. With evocative watercolors throughout, this book is a lovely invitation to nourish the mind, body, and soul through enduring rituals for well-being.
Polly Diamond and the Super Stunning Spectacular School Fair: Book 2 (Polly Diamond #2)
by Alice KuipersPolly and her magic book, Spell, have all kinds of adventures together because whatever Polly writes in Spell comes true! But when Polly and Spell join forces to make the school fair super spectacular, they quickly discover that what you write and what you mean are not always the same. Filled with the familiar details of home and school, but with a sprinkling of magic, this book is just right for fans of Ivy + Bean, Judy Moody, and Dory Fantasmagory, as well for aspiring writers, who, just like Polly, know the magic of stories.
Romans 8 - 16 For You: For Reading, For Feeding, For Leading (God's Word For You Ser.)
by Timothy KellerConsulting on the Inside: A Practical Guide For Internal Consultants
by Beverly Scott, B. Kim Barnes
The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Expert Advice for Extreme Situations (Worst-Case Scenario)
by Joshua Piven David BorgenichtThe 20th anniversary edition of the international bestseller, perfectly timed for everyone needing extra help to be adequately prepared for dire situations in today's world.Danger! It lurks at every corner. Quicksand. Sharks. Cyberbullies. Super Flu. From wrestling an alligator to evading drones to landing an airplane if the pilot passes out, The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook is here to help with expert, illustrated, step-by-step instructions for the best ways to tackle life's sudden turns for the worse. Needed now more than ever, this revised and expanded edition of the international bestseller delivers frightening and funny real advice readers need to know fast, including crucial information added from across the Worst-Case series and 20 all-new scenarios for 21st-century threats, from extreme weather and "fake news" to dropping a cell phone in the bathroom toilet.EMERGENCY INSTRUCTION FOR ANXIOUS TIMES: This ultimate survival book is packed with expert—and humorous—advice for extreme situations, including tips on great escapes and entrances (how to escape from a sinking car), hacks for technical trouble (how to survive an out-of-control autonomous car), skills for adventure survival (how to survive an avalanche), and more. INFORMATION ANYONE CAN USE: From your nephew who loves camping in the wilderness to your great aunt who became a doomsday prepper during the pandemic, this complete survival guide is the ultimate preparedness tool for people of all ages. A FAVORITE BOOK TO SHARE WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY: Readers rave about the reactions this entertaining volume elicits, sharing that it's "an absolute hit" as a gift and a "great tabletop item for guests to pick up and browse for a few minutes." One reviewer notes this is "one of the best gifts that I have ever purchased" while another calls the book "a fun read and conversation starter."Perfect for:Kids, teens, and adults interested in learning how to survive anything, from a sudden natural disaster to a zombie apocalypseAnyone who enjoys funny booksBirthday, holiday, or graduation gag gifts
I'm a Baked Potato!
by Elise PrimaveraWhen a baked potato–loving lady adopts a dog, she adores him unconditionally—and given the pup's small, round frame and warm, brown coat she can't help but call him "Baked Potato"! But what happens when a dog who thinks he's a baked potato gets lost? Will he find his lady? And more importantly, will he find himself? I'm a Baked Potato! is a fun, bighearted story about the names we're given, the names we choose, and how both can help us find our way home. Full of heart and laugh-out-loud moments, this story will leave readers giggling—and looking at pets in a whole new way.
Nordic Tales: Folktales from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark (Tales Ser.)
by Chronicle BooksNordic Tales is a collection of 16 traditional tales from the enchanting world of Nordic folklore.Translated and transcribed by folklorists in the 19th century, these stories are at once magical, hilarious, cozy, and chilling.Welcome to a world of mystical adventure—where trolls haunt the snowy forests, terrifying monsters roam the open sea, a young woman journeys to the end of the world, and a boy proves he knows no fear.• Offers a fascinating view into Nordic culture• The tales come alive alongside bold, contemporary art• Part of the popular Tales series, featuring Tales of Japan, Celtic Tales, Tales of India, and Tales of East AfricaNordic Tales will enthrall fans of fairytales and captivate those interested in the rich history of Nordic culture.Ulla Thynell's glowing contemporary illustrations accompany each tale, conjuring dragons, princesses, and the northern lights.• A visually gorgeous book that will be at home on the shelf or on the coffee table• A perfect gift for fairy tale and folklore lovers, fans of Nordic culture, people of Nordic ancestry, collectors of illustrated classics, and bibliophiles looking for a comforting wintertime read• Add it to the collection of books like D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths by Ingri d'Aulaire and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire, Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman, and Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton.People who love Greek mythology, roman mythology, Chinese mythology, Celtic mythology, and folklore and cultural studies from around the globe will love Nordic Tales.
Most Marshmallows
by Rowboat WatkinsMost marshmallows are born into marshmallow families, play with marshmallow friends, and go to marshmallow school where they learn to be squishy. Most marshmallows read a book before bed and then fall asleep to dream ordinary marshmallow dreams. Is this book about most marshmallows? It isn't. Because Rowboat Watkins knows that just like you, some marshmallows have big dreams, and just like you, these marshmallows can do anything they set their minds to. This sweet and silly book is an inspiring reminder that by being true to ourselves each of us can be truly extraordinary.