5 comments about Boomtown USA: The 7-1/2 Keys to Big Success in Small Towns.

1. Is Your Town a Winning Team?
   
   As a chief executive officer of a company that for 17 years has developed industrial properties in small towns in the Midwest, Jack Schultz is in a unique position to answer the question: What separates the thriving towns from the struggling ones?
   
   In his new book, BoomtownUSA: The 7 ½ Keys to Big Success in Small Towns (NAIOP, $21.95), Schultz has written an inspirational "how-to" guide for leaders of small communities; his central message being that it is possible, using the right tools, to build a team capable of shaping the destiny of its community.
   
   Schultz describes the keys needed for small towns to thrive and grow. He asserts that in small, rural communities, a solid core group of bright, dedicated people working as a team can make a difference. To back up his premise, the author has filled his 167-page book with over one hundred examples and case studies.
   
   The author claims that the third great population shift in America's history, from the suburbs to what Schultz has termed "the agurbs" has begun. The first wave was from farms to urban areas, the second wave from urban areas to the suburbs, and now a dramatic shift back to rural areas. During the 1990s, more than 18 million people moved from metropolitan areas into small communities and rural counties. Why? Lower costs of housing and living, lower crime rates, better schools, shorter commutes and, in general, a more relaxed and less stressful lifestyle.
   
   With the technological advances in the last 20 or so years, Schultz states that there has been no better time in history for small towns to prosper. Thirty-three percent of the American jobs created between 2001 and 2004 went to residents of rural counties with average populations of 40,000. But the success or failure of small communities does not just happen on its own; the prospering small towns in this country have set themselves apart by excelling in the 7 ½ Keys: adopting a can-do attitude, shaping a vision, raising up strong leaders, encouraging an entrepreneurial approach, maintaining local control, building a brand, and embracing the teeter-totter factor (small actions that can make either a negative or positive impact on the entire community).
   
   Success hinges on strong leadership, teamwork, and entrepreneurs. Schultz states that in towns that operate effectively, leadership is spread among a multitude of people; no single hero on a white horse will ride in and save your community. Rely on the collective wisdom, experience, vision and dreams of the committed people already in your community, and "empower the people with passion."
   
   Schultz strongly advocates that communities need to develop leaders for the future, citing examples such as Colville, Washington, which founded the Colville Youth Commission to make recommendations to the city for the purpose of improving the quality of life for area youths.
   
   The author states that prospering small towns can never have too many entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs should be nurtured and given room to operate. "Towns that recognize that the better their entrepreneurs do, the better the better the town will do, generally find themselves on a positive growth curve."
   
   BoomtownUSA is an important book for anyone who has an interest in the future of his or her small town.



2. Schultz is on the cutting edge of America's future. In Boomtown USA he does an extraordinary job of detailing how small towns can find their uniqueness, create jobs, and attract new residents or visitors. This book is a "must read" for any town official or private citizen who wants to make a difference and see their community prosper. And his list of the top 100 "Agurbs" is insightful, thoroughly researched, and invaluable for targeting forward-thinking communities."
   
   Marilyn Ross, author of the forthcoming MICROPOLITAN MOVES: Advice for a Safe and Successful Relocation - or Buying Your Second Home Dream Retreat - in Small Town USA



3. Rating: 4 Stars for those just getting started in their quest to reinvent a community; 3 Stars for all others. "Boomtown" is written in very broad strokes, and much of it is common sense; yet, it is the type of common sense worth reiterating to fledgling community-builders.
   
   Perhaps the biggest single contribution this book makes is to demonstrate through hard data that there may very well be a positive payoff to all the visioning, strategic planning, consensus-building and financial investing that a community must engage in while attempting to redefine itself. The comparative data presented justifies the journey. And Schultz's admonition not to pin an agurb's hope on a single white knight - especially a large corporate outsider - is the single best piece of advice that he offers.
   
   As a "starter kit", this book does not discuss the many facets of the municipal growth process that must inevitably be addressed if a strategic plan is to succeed, such as the roles of, and relationships with, a variety of potential planning and funding partners such as a state Main Street organization, USDA, state department of economic development, LISC, etc.; how to find sources of and apply for grants; how best to present initial growth concepts to elected officials and when; how to work with a project developer, etc. It is beyond the scope of "Boomtown" to delve into these matters in any detail, so the reader should be prepared to find answers elsewhere.
   
   The single biggest take-away from "Boomtown" is that the leaders of numerous older communities like yours have dug deep and found sufficient inspiration to create a novel approach to limited growth or stagnation. The author offers numerous examples and anecdotes to make that point. Two or three may strike just the right chord with you and spark a lively discussion in your own backyard.



4. The author of this book recently spoke at my college (Monmouth College) where his son attends. I have just moved to this small town (I am a college faculty member) and this book has given me a very different view of life and opportunities that exist in small towns. Very inspirational.



5. As Jack Schultz is talking about strategies to economically "pump up" small town rural life, is he considering, locally, the current context Effingham is in? For example, the majority of Effingham, IL city residents voted down the recent proposal for a huge sports complex that would cost millions of dollars, yet may not produce revenue in the end that upkeep and building costs add up too. This is smart thinking on their part. Yet the city council is going ahead with plans in purchasing land and ignoring the vote. What is wrong with this picture? I think Mr. Schultz would do well to consider the public's opinion on this possibly catastrophic mistake, along with the rest of Effingham's leaders. The book may be well-thought out, and yes, owning property may be key to this day's financial success (Mr. Schultz can attest to that), but when the rich minority impress their wishes on the middle-class or poor majority, they might instead do well to listen and adhere to the majority's wants. The book, Boomtown, may be fine in theory & principle, but putting that into practice in an actual town is another story, and I'm not sure if Effingham fits that bill. If Effingham is such a progressive town, I would like to see a rise in higher-paying middle-class, union jobs, rather than minimum-wage or slightly higher jobs that center around the service sector, with less security. America needs to focus on factory and technology driven jobs.

5 comments about Power and Prosperity: Outgrowing Communist and Capitalist Dictatorships.

1. Parts of this book are a bit slow and more theoretical than I want, but the chapter on the Soviet Union is one of the best economic essays I've ever read.
   It convincingly discredits the idea that a misguided ideology led Soviet planners astray, by describing how the policies appear shrewdly designed to maximize Stalin's wealth.
   It also provides a compelling explanation of the more recent Soviet and post-Soviet economic problems by documenting the extent to which special interests have made their industry unproductive by adopting work rules/habits designed maximize job security.
   I wish I could believe these problems were unique to countries afflicted with communism, but the book's reasoning suggests that many parts of our economy where bureaucracies aren't shut down if they fail to produce valuable results (much of government, businesses in industries with little competition, and I don't know what fraction of nonprofits) are equally wasteful.



2. Power and Prosperity is an example of economics at its best. First of all, it takes a balanced or neutral approach to its subject matter. The author is not out to prove the superiority of either markets or government. Governmental power is a double edged sword to Olson. Government power promotes prosperity by restraining 'roving bandits' or special interests. Government power is also susceptible to the influence of special interests. Olson also discusses the merits and faults of markets. Markets are ubiquitous and can lead to prosperity, but often do not. Government has a role in this. That is, he finds blame for this in the most negative aspects of government. Olson does not assume market efficiency either. He explains it, as well as some possible limitations to markets.
   
   This is also a highly insightful book. Much of his analysis derives from his earlier work on "the logic of collective action'. He also uses some transaction costs and basic supply and demand/substitution effect reasoning to explain historical events. Students in my comparative classes had more trouble with this book than any other, but it is still manageable. Reading it might be difficult for those who lack an education in economics. But I am not sure if there is an easier way to say what it says, and what it says is most interesting. The concepts the author employs makes a greater understanding of different economic systems and historical periods possible. This is penetrating analysis.
   
   It is also highly relevant. Much of this book focuses on the Soviet Union. One could say that the USSR is a done deal- it failed so forget about it. It is, however, important to understand why it failed so as to avoid repeating such errors in the future. This is what the Author is driving at with in his use of the Soviet example. There were reasons for the failure of the Soviet system that also apply to problems in other nations- not to mention Russia today. The misuse of power has the potential to prevent prosperity as much now as it did under Stalin and Khrushchev.
   
   Does this book have faults? Certainly. Olson takes too positive a view of Stalin's industrialization program (not that he praises Stalin). Olson dismisses complete privatization, or anarchy, too easily. There is nothing wrong with arguing against anarchy. But, his arguments against privatizing the state (i.e private police and courts) are little more than an unsupported dismissal of such arrangements. If he did not want to debate that issue, he should not have taken such a strong stand. He also might have mentioned a few things about FA Hayek- especially on p136 where he wrote "a bureaucracy cannot process all the information needed to calculate an optimal allocation or put it into practice".
   
   While there are a few faults to this book, it is still excellent. It is a must read for anyone interested in either comparative economics and politics, Globalization, or the economic history of the Soviet Union.



3. Olson's book is good but only understandable for those with an economics background. If you are not an economist you are going to have trouble understanding what he is trying to say and the concepts he uses across the pages.
   For those who have an econ background it is a good book and it provides interesting examples on how economic theory applies to real life, and some of the reasons as to why some economic systems and models do or do not work in reality. However, he seriously lacks some other sociological, demographical, and local aspects of power, prosperity and development; therefore you should not stick only to his theories and keep reading other books to understand why some countries achieve prosperity while others do not.



4. In the "Rise and Decline of Nations" Mancur Olson revealed the teacher in himself with a lucid readable account that left the mathematics in the footnotes. It was one of those books that Samuel Britten would give to his bright nephew who wants to know what it is all about without doing the difficult math (with the exception of some graphs in a later chapter, not difficult to interpret, but which the reader can skim over if they are so inclined, for the argument is clearly stated in the text). The "Rise and Decline of Nations", Mancur Olson's prior book for the greater public, is a hard act to follow, but that he does with this sequel, "Power and Prosperity." And how.
   
   "Power and Prosperity" brings the compelling reasoning of Olson's theories of collective action forward with a lucidity and ease unmatched by any other book I have encountered. And yet he still breaks new ground; the prompting was Olson's observations of the former Soviet Russian Federation's failure to rise above anarchy and to harness the power for free markets for the good of her people. In this book Olson answers the question: Why has Russia failed where the West has succeeded?
   
   Olson's use of language is quite outstanding. He uses no big words where simple words will do. He defines the terms of his essay as he goes. He refers the reader to academic publications for those interested in formal proofs. He does not repeat himself except to remind the reader of the main line of argument, which keeps the whole tight and disciplined, yet easy to read.
   
   This book is very strongly recommended for anyone seeking the synthesis of the big picture and a disciplined logical analysis. self with a lucid readable account that left the mathematics in the footnotes. It was one of those books that Samuel Britten would give to his bright nephew who wants to know what it is all about without doing the difficult bits. The "Rise and Decline of Nations" is a hard act to follow, but that Mancur Olson does with "Power and Prosperity." And how.



5. This book covers aspects of Economics that are only too often neglected. These aspects include how power arrangements affect market efficiency and the effectiveness of markets in meeting consumer demand and providing for propserity. The book also provides accounts of different types of market arangements. In one type of market there is no guarantee other than the honor of the buyer and seller concerning the quality of the product and the terms of payment. Thus the market tends toward basic short term transactions. In the market for which property rights are guaranteed by the social structure, however, market arrangements can be much more complex and much better serve the needs of the people in society.
   
   Power arrangements should be studied in Economics.
   
   And this book should be read by all persons interested in Economics.

4 comments about The No-Nonsense Guide to International Development (No-Nonsense Guides).

1. "ACCORDING TO STATISTICS SHE DOES NOT WORK!" That is the caption below a poster with a photograph of an African woman, lugging an enormous bunch of tree branches for firewood on her head, endlessly trailing through the Sahelian bush. The poster is published by what is probably the smallest and, typically, least publicized of all United Nations bodies, INSTRAW, the UN Institute for Research and Training on the Advancement of Women, based in Santo Domingo.

   That poster with its caption to this reviewer illustrates one of the many points, well taken and well given, by Maggie Black in the surprisingly small, immensely condensed volume on "International Development".

   There certainly is a wealth of literature on this subject out there, as well as journals, such as that of the publisher of this book, The New Internationalist. There seem to be very few documents, though, which in such concise, yet readable form present one of the most complex issues of our time.

   First of all, let me state that this book with its handy format should find its place in the pocket of anybody, anywhere in the world, in any professional and/or political camp, with an interest in making our globe more livable for everybody, or at least giving it a good try.

   In at least one country you can find in primary school libraries among all the school books and teachers' manuals, nothing less than Clausewitz' oeuvre on how to conduct a war. Without any other comparison, it appears that Maggie Black with this, her latest work, is becoming the Clausewitz of international development.

   Fact-loaded sentence by sentence, the reader is given as good a definition of "development" as you could get it. It is followed by an accurate description of the many variations of the theme, as it has unfolded since the end of World War Two, up to the UN Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in August 2002 - just a little over two months ago (this being written in mid-November 2002).

   Even for those with a long personal experience in development work, this work provides a wonderful overview, not the least in the historical part - witness to the author's academic background as a historian. Despite the small and incredibly fact-rich dimensions of the book, Maggie Black manages to insert human examples with real people exemplifying where some of the ideas came from, and what it took to achieve some results.

   "International development" and the "development industry" grown up around this issue have many critics, some even verging on cynicism. This slim volume helps to clarify the issues, giving the truth, the truth, and nothing but the truth. In the same time it avoids the many political pitfalls, in writing such a review, or, really, evaluation. Against the backdrop of so much emotion, frequently violent around the development of humanity and its agents and agencies, rarely does one see such an evenhanded approach as that presented here.

   In spite of the many setbacks, the winding way of history, and the continued bleak outlook for the poor half of humanity, Maggie Black ends on a positive note, essentially saying, "Do not give up!" To this reviewer, even if that may sound cynical, although it is not intended to be, it reminds him of one of his favourite sayings, that of the old Swedish farmer taking his young son out into the star-studded night, saying "Sikta mot stjärnorna, min son! Åtminstone kan Du hamna på lagårdstaket!" In other words, in another language: "Aim at the stars, my son! At least it will land you on the roof of the cowshed!"




2. Anyone who is involved in the "development business" should read this book. As one would expect from this author, it's well-informed, beautifully written, and entirely persuasive. It's also brief enough to read in one session, by the end of which one is devastated by the realization that, whoever "development" benefits, it certainly isn't the poor (or any other currently fashionable "target population"). I wish that I had had the skill, at some point during my 35 years trying to help people in developing countries, to marshall these arguments and try to convince the remote decision-makers that process and buzz-words only take one so far - eventually one has to provide poor people with what they themselves need, want and value. Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that the international bureacracy will ever read this book or take its lessons to heart - but they should!



3. Short, concise and witty. This book should be on all student essential reading lists, as well as required reading for all international development 'experts'.
   Maggie Black has produced a basic guide to the current international development scene and tells us how we got to this chronic state of affairs. There is no panacea or quick fix, but she does make many suggestions on how we could go about undoing some of the harm perpetuated in the name of development.



4. A great introductory guide for those who are intrigued by the subject. It offers no frills or fluff and stands as the bare-bones framework for understinding the International Development enterprise. If you thought you what "international development" is, this book is sure to set you straight. Concise, but informative, this book traces the history of the term to current perspectives on it. It is sure to clear up the most common misconception of the term "international development": which is the notion that there is an agreed definition of it - there isn't.

2 comments about The Puzzle of Latin American Economic Development.

1. "The Puzzle of Latin American Economic Development" is, most of all, an incredible clear book. By beggining with a review of the differences between the concepts of economic development and economic growth, Patrice Franko places the study of the Latin American economy in its appropiate framework. The analysis of the historical evolution, while simple, gives a solid overview of many of the roots of the current economic and social problems of the area. Finally, her wide analysis of typical areas of economic development such as agriculture, health and education highlights problems that are sometimes forgotten by the political actors. It is an indispensable book for those who want to get initiated in the fascinating subject of Latin American Economic Development.



2. This is probably the most useful all-round textbook on Latin American economic challenges currently on the market. An important strength is its comprehensiveness: unlike some alternatives, Franko does not dwell on issues of macroeconomic management to the exclusion of important socioeconomic issues such as education, health, rural development, and inequality. The book is evidently designed to support a one semester course, and could be used for either advanced undergraduates or graduate students.
   
   Franko's text is not without its weaknesses. The updating of macro developments from the first edition was undertaken somewhat randomly. Discussions of different viewpoints on Latin American development issues sometimes make overly schematic use of stock figures ("the structuralist", "the neoliberal") that risk becoming caricatures. There is no discussion of the so-called "Washington Consensus" as a whole (indeed the term does not appear in the index). And Franko discusses the thesis of secular decline in commodity prices in an uncritical manner that suggests she may be unaware of recent more skeptical analyses. This said, the book does not suffer from obvious systematic biases, and makes a good-faith effort to present different viewpoints without forcing them down the reader's throat.

5 comments about Comeback: The Fall & Rise of the American Automobile Industry.

1. This book was excellent. It examined the ins and out



2. This book was spectacular: the amount of detailed facts combined with unprecedented inside information never before gathered from the dungeons of the Big Three amount to a fascinating account of greed, complacency, and eventually recovery. Some of the information contained therein will make the hair on the back of one's neck stand in disgust or elation. Anyone who is interested in automobiles or American Industry or who just wants a good read should pick up this book.



3. This book is excellent. It reads like a novel -- managers and executives are described in terms of their personalities and their accomplishments/failures. The "plot" progresses from the early 1980s when Honda entered the American automobile market to the mid-1990s when the Big Three finally got their stuff together and cameback from near failure to become true competitors again. I would recommend this book as a must-read to anyone interested in the automobile industry and a good read for anyone else.



4. Given the current woes of the American auto industry, I find it surprising that people take this book seriously. It is merely a puff piece for the "We're number one" Americans who prefer self-satisfaction to facing reality.



5. Provides an interesting historical perspective on a failing industry that turns itself around only to make the same mistakes again.
   
   The book provides an excellent insight into the auto industry of the early 90's and you provide the epiloge.
   
   It would be like reading a vintage book that offered a look into the politics that lead up to WWII in about 1946.

5 comments about Development Economics.

1. The book is in excillent condition as it was described and the price is good. However it's better to go directly with their website.



2. In view that there are extended critics that already say what I feel about this book, I just qualify it: Outstanding, superb! I strongly recommend it!



3. With Debraj Ray's book, the study of Development Economics finally becomes more accessible to all those interested. It is written for the undergraduate level and is accessible to non-economists as well. The book is a formalisation of the theories on growth and development that have been published until now and gives a very good overview of the subject.
   
   Two things, however are to criticise. First of all, it is a magnum opus that would be a lot more comfortable to read as a paperback. Second, the information presented in this book is huge, yet doesn't go into sufficient and into equal detail for all factors of growth that are presented in this book. In other words, the presentation of the different factors is at a rather general level, however some factors seem to stand out more than others, which is somewhat a little annoying, since growth depends on many factors, some of which are too narrowly described.
   
   The style however is straight-forward and is not limited to economists alone. At the same time, a good understanding of both macro- and microeconomics (in particular) will be useful. The book should also ideally be read together with some further readings so that the reader fully understands the contents and the points that the author is stressing. Yet, it is a fabulous book that can serve as an ideal starting-step for further study in the area. Four points are therefore awarded for this book.



4. Very useful and interesting book about the basics oc development economics.
   Well written and easy to understand also by non mother-tongue people.
   I vividly recommend it!



5. I used this textbook for an introductory Development Economics class and thought it was very good. Economics textbooks generally seem to focus on teaching lots of methods and models, which are susbquently supposed to be used to solve highly idealised problems. This in itself is not bad (and probably it is neccesary to some extent), but this is not nearly enough.
   
   The good thing about this book is that it always cares more about the subject matter and less about models *for their own sake.* The book always discusses different models and then afterwards evaluates the model and sees how it matches up to empirical evidence (its remarkable how most textbooks don't do this). In this way, one gains a good, overall understanding of the issues being discussed rather than just learning some facts about which model predicts what. Since the subject matter itself is interesting (at least in my opinion), a book written in this way is naturally interesting and absorbing.
   
   On the negative side, some of the chapters seem to be unneccesarily long (especially the part on credit markets). This is not a big problem though. More on the enviornment, corruption, etc... would also be very nice. I also think that more information on the historical experiences of countries (when it is related to the topic at hand, of course) would be very interesting and helpful.
   
   Overall, I think this is a very good book for anyone who wants to learn about development, poverty, and related issues from an economic perspective.

5 comments about Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less: A Handbook for Slashing Gas Prices and Solving Our Energy Crisis.

1. Drill Here Drill Now is convincing in many respects yet carries the air of willful ignorance about certain key facts of the oil market that send nearly all of its premises crashing to the ground.
   
   First of all, the recent rise in oil prices was not in any way caused by a lack of domestic supply, or even world supply. To suggest that a five-fold increase in price was a direct market response to supply-demand imbalance when both the supply and demand have not dramatically changed in recent years is a ridiculous argument. Now that oil prices are plummeting, are we then to believe that world supply has suddenly doubled or tripled, or demand has been cut by half? Of course not. As recent events prove beyond any doubting now, the recent spike in oil prices was a speculative bubble. Long term supply concerns remain, of course, with peak oil virtually inevitable in the next couple of decades. But the recent price spike was pure speculation enabled by deregulation of the oil futures markets, and that reality is not explored adequately in this book. Since the 2003 deregulation, prices are now driven by futures contract speculation and not by the simply suppy-demand model.
   
   Secondly, if we were to "drill here, drill now," in ANWR and up and down all of our coasts, substantially increasing domestic supply even, does Mr. Gingrich posit any reason at all, even one, that would prevent OPEC from notching back production modestly to account for an increased U.S. supply, thereby immediately and easily canceling any price benefit? No, of course he doesn't, because there is no reason. OPEC controls the world supply, not the U.S. no matter how much we drill. If oil is at $100/barrel, drilling in ANWR would only mean that the oil drilled there would be worth $100/barrel on the world market. And is Mr. Gingrich naive enough to think that the oil companies would sell that oil at a discount to American consumers, just because we have freckly-faced kids and pink flamingoes on our lawns?
   
   Our greatest leverage lies in the fact that we control the world demand for oil, not the supply. But taking that power and manipulating world demand to bring down prices is a green approach that is cultural anathema to the intended readership of this book. This book is a book written by and for neocons who don't know much about how the world oil markets work, and the complex interplay of global and domestic supply and demand. If you like Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh, this book will competently confirm the notions that you already believe about how oil markets work, without challenging what you didn't know that you don't know.



2. This should be on the required reading list of every freshman for college AND high school, AND those intelligent enough to walk into a bookstore.
   
   It was full of so much common sense it just made me want to go "Duh!".
   
   The only question it didn't answer was "Why are Americans being lied to?" - And this was because it was designed to be a handbook on how to solve serious problems and NOT political commentary



3. An excellent read of a current event affecting us all. A real eye opener into the world of oil.



4. There is a battle waging in America over whether the People or the Government control the resources of this great land.
   
   Left wing govt. bureaucrats and politicians, fueled (no pun intended) by the global warming maniacs, are going to bring us down-down to a third world status--if we the People, do not get control of these resources and USE THEM! A resource is of no value if not used when needed.
   
   Drill now, Drill less sets the stage for a revolution. We must fight tooth and nail to win it.



5. A friend at work said to me that we could have solved the high price of gas, if only we started drilling off shore 10 years...I wondered why he could believe that...and now I have read why.
   
   Newt gets it (we have to have energy independence); however he is disingenuous and dishonest though out the whole book. Within the 1st 10 pages he asks and answers who is to blame for the problem. It is the leftist politicians (He also calls them the energy elitist and people who hate energy production). He does NOT mention the oil companies; He does NOT mention the auto companies; and he does NOT mention any Republican politician. Near the end of the book he even has a spread sheet comparing the pro America group and the anti energy group...
   
   So for me, the book's main theme was not to solve the energy problem, but to put another wedge issue between the American people.
   
   Besides that, it is a great book, but if you want to read a book that has a real solution whose author is a conservative...read Energy Victory by Robert Zubrin

1 comments about ECONOMIC FREEDOM AND INTERVENTIONISM (Lib Works Ludwig Von Mises PB).

1. This book was amazing. I found all of the information to be very informative and very useful. There are many great works throughout this compilation, and it would be foolish not to add this book to a collection of masterpieces. I strongly earge all people of all ages to look into the purchase this book. It will greatly increase your knowledge and understanding of just what there is out there to learn and understand.

No comments about Introduction to Modern Economic Growth.

1 comments about Medical Tourism in Developing Countries.

1. If you want to know Medical Tourism from an economist point of view and the implications for everyone in the health and tourism business, this is the book to get. The authors really did their work. The have a wealth of information for those who are involved in these industries. However, it is not the book to read if you are planning of becoming a medical tourist yourself. There are other books for that particular purpose.