5 comments about Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits.

1. 
   After completing five years of rigorous and extensive research on 1,435 "Fortune 500" companies during a 30-year period (1965-1995), Jim Collins and his associates selected only eleven that met their admittedly "very tough standards" for greatness. (Note: Collins also wrote Good to Great and the Social Sectors: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great, published four years later.) Leslie Crutchfield and Heather McLeod Grant acknowledge that Collins' book was a "real inspiration to them" as they surveyed more than 2,000 CEOs of nonprofits before selecting only twelve for examination in their book, Forces for Good. As is true of several other outstanding business books, the work on this one was driven by a question: "What makes great nonprofits great?" What Crutchfield and McLeod learned is shared in this volume.
   
   It is worth noting that, until recent years, most of the books and articles about nonprofits (at least those with which I am familiar) suggested that they had much to learn from exemplary for-profit organizations. It may have been Peter Drucker who first recognized that the business world could learn much of value from studying the best-managed nonprofits. He wrote an article published in Harvard Business Review in July of 1989, "What Business Can Learn from Nonprofits," that was later reprinted in Peter Drucker on the Profession of Management, in 1998. Drucker suggests that The Salvation Army is characteristic of the best nonprofit organizations, especially in terms of motivating knowledge workers and increasing their productivity. In successful nonprofit enterprises, "amateurs are being replaced with unpaid staff members, many of whom are managers and professionals in their for-pay jobs. They volunteer because they believe in the mission; they stay because they are given responsibility for meaningful tasks, held accountable for their performance and rewarded with training and the chance to take on more demanding assignments."
   
   According to Crutchfield and Grant, high-impact nonprofits (i.e. those who have "created real social change...have come up with innovative solutions to social problems, and have spread these ideas nationally or internationally") demonstrate all or most of six practices:
   
   1. They both advocate what is urgently needed and commit resources in response to that need
   
   2. Are "pragmatic idealists" who combine social values with business "smarts" to "make markets work"
   
   3. Build a community of evangelists as a powerful force for social change by communicating their mission, vision, and values as well as creating meaningful experiences
   
   4. Adopt and maintain a network mind-set to share resources and empower other organizations
   
   5. Constantly adapt and modify their tactics and initiatives while maintaining "the balance between stifling bureaucracy and unbridled creativity"
   
   6. Support growth by developing high-impact leadership internally, widely distributing authority as well as responsibility among those involved in the given enterprise
   
   Crutchfield and Grant devote a separate chapter to each of these six, then suggest in Chapter Nine how to put them in action. By now they have answered the original question. Great nonprofits are great because they are "working with and through others, as counterintuitive as that might seem. It's about leveraging every sector of society to become a force for good....[moreover] high-impact organizations bridge boundaries and work with others to achieve greater levels of change than they could accomplish alone."
   
   What about all the other nonprofits? How can they make what Collins characterizes as a "leap" from being only mediocre or good to great? Stated another way, how can these other nonprofits also become effective agents of change and have high-impact? Those who lead them "need to bridge boundaries and understand how to influence without authority. They will need to see the larger system and their role in it - not just their own interests...[They must] be influential enough to convince the CEOs of global corporations to change their ways, and to make the business case, as well as the moral case, for doing so...Above all else, nonprofit leaders must learn how to share power an empower others - if they aren't already doing so." The six practices can help to guide and inform their efforts while leading the change initiatives that are needed. What to do and where to start? For specific and practical advice, please see Figures 9.1-9.6 inserted sequentially throughout pages 214-220. That advice is best revealed within the narrative so I shall say no more about it.
   
   Because the nature of philanthropy is changing as donors seek more evidence of impact from their donations, even the high-impact nonprofits must make adjustments to sustain their effectiveness and thereby their appeal to benefactors. "Rather than just providing services or a basic charity, they're doing much more. In the process, they are redefining what it means to be an effective nonprofit." Keep in mind that in this context, Crutchfield and Grant are talking about the twelve exemplary nonprofits. Even they must complete the transition from the old paradigm to the new paradigm. (Please see Exhibit 9.8 on page 223.) "Non profits operate at the intersection of society's major sectors. The best of these organizations take advantage of their unique role and their unprecedented opportunity to create greater impact. To win at the social change game, it's not about being the biggest or the fastest or even the best-managed, nonprofit. The most powerful, influential, and strategic organizations [begin italics] transform others [end italics] to become forces for good."
   
   The importance of adaptability cannot be exaggerated. At one point in their narrative, they refer to The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations in which Ori Brafman and Rod Beckstrom examine the impact of decentralized networks. "Spider organizations have rigid hierarchies, top-down leadership, and centralized decision-making" whereas "Starfish [organizations] are highly decentralized, relying on peer-to-peer relationships, widely distributed leadership, and collaborative communities united by shared values. Decapitate a spider and it will die; with the headless starfish, cut off an arm and it will regenerate into a new arm while the old arm grows into a new starfish. That is why Crutchfield and Grant view the starfish model as a perfect metaphor for nonprofits. Hence the title of this review.
   
   Those who share my high regard for Leslie Crutchfield and Heather McLeod Grant's brilliant book are urged to check out the aforementioned Drucker article as well as Braufman and Beckstrom's book. Also, Drucker's Managing the Nonprofit Organization: Principles and Practices, Tom Ralser's ROI For Nonprofits: The New Key to Sustainability, a Dean Spitzer's Transforming Performance Measurement, and Enterprise Architecture As Strategy co-authored by Jeanne W. Ross, Peter Weill, and David Robertson.



2. Leaders of non profits are constantly asking themselves, how can we make our organization more effective and more secure. The authors set out to find commonality among disparate non profits, each of whom however is successful and highly effective. They succeed marvelously. From The Heritage Foundation to Environmental Defense (can you think of two more different non profits?), the six practices they outline can be models for each of us as we seek to make our organizations better, more effective, and more sustainable. It's an easy read. The concepts are clear and understandable. It's changed the way I look at my non profit leadership.



3. Proving that it takes more than a compelling vision to have great impact, the authors use persuasive stories gleaned from their research of 12 high-impact nonprofits to bring to life the six practice framework they identify as necessary to generate "Forces for Good" when creating societal change. As identified by authors, the six things that great social sector organizations do are:
   
   1. Advocate and serve
   2. Make markets work
   3. Inspire evangelists
   4. Nurture nonprofit networks
   5. Master the art of adaptation
   6. Share leadership
   
   While these six practices, by name, are hardly specific enough to show the way for everyday application, the examples from the 12 organizations get beneath these generalizations, and the final chapter provides useful checklists for `How to Start' when putting the framework into practice. All-in-all, a well written, and thought provoking book that anyone involved with a nonprofit organization should take the time to read, as well as a book that offers thoughts for leadership of most `for profit' organizations.
   
   Dennis DeWilde, Author of "The Performance Connection"



4. Forces for Good is an extremely readable book about what makes a great non-profit GREAT, and it is written by Leslie Crutchfield and Heather Grant, the two women who did the research and put their findings on paper so all involved in the non-profit sector might benefit from their conclusions.
   
   Based on several years' research involving twelve of the most successful nonprofits in recent U.S. history, Forces for Good looks closely at the six practices that high-impact non-profits use to maximize social change.
   
   What makes the book so engaging is that it is NOT about America's most well-managed non-profits, nor is it about America's best-marketed organizations with the most recognized brands. It's NOT even about the groups with the highest revenues or the lowest overhead ratios.
   
   Rather, Forces for Good is about one dozen exemplary organizations that have created real social change - organizations that can be considered cousins to companies like Google or eBay in what they have accomplished. Very exciting stuff!
   
   The best news is that the book is well-written and engaging - with several good stories and logical explanations, as well as authentic suggestions and even fantastical ideas (for those real dreamers out there who still like to read.) If you are a leader in the non-profit sector, I believe you will agree with me that Forces for Good not only makes sense, it opens up the mind to new ways of thinking and acting. It is a blueprint for turning your non-profit into a force for good.



5. This book is one of the bet I have read re nonprofit organizations. Some eye opening observations by the authors. I especially liked the summaries at the end of each chapter as well as the chapters at the end that provide a checklist of "To Do" items. Well worth the read if you are just beginning a nonprofit or are an established organization.

5 comments about Ultimate Guide to Google AdWords: How to Access 100 Million People in 10 Minutes (Ultimate Guide to Google Adwords).

1. Perry Marshall's book is great.
   
   An easy read (which is hard to do in a technical topic) and still powerful.
   
   Thanks Perry



2. Started up my first web based company and didn't have a clue. Got halfway through the book and was able to start implementing the techniques he teaches. By the time I was done with the book, I knew more about Adwords than the web designer who set Adwords up for me in the first place!
   I read everything I can get my hands on by Perry Marshall now and am in his Renaissance Club to keep up to date on Google's frequent twists and turns.
   Carlin Stanton
   President
   DfwReplacementWindows.com



3. I don't write reviews but this form forces me to. I did not end up using this book.



4. This in fact is a great book for ADWORDS.well written and very easy to read.



5. Wow! I learned more in the first six chapters of this book than I have from listening to some who consider themselves experts. These chapters alone are worth the price of the book. I plan to implement them in a new business my husband and I are starting. I can't wait to see the results.
   
   Thanks for writing this so that us non-techies understand what Google AdWords can do for a business!
   
   If you are on the fence about whether or not to purchase this book, purchase it! You won't be sorry.

5 comments about Mastering the Trade (McGraw-Hill Trader's Edge).

1. This book is a must for day traders. Carter's set-ups for buys and sells are amazing. Since reading and studing his methods I have almost doubled my daily revenue and looking at 6 figures this year.
   
   If you only read one book (and I have read many) this simple to understand and well documented text will serve you for the rest of your career in the market.



2. I was excited to receive this book because it is written by a seasoned professional and as such carries a lot more credibility than one from someone who never actually managed money. I am a money manager and systems developer myself and have managed huge positions and had many hundreds of clients. The first few chapters of the book cover some basics particularly those relating to psychology and setting up to trade. All of it is good. The section on computers is as would be expected for a book published in 2006. Then the book gets into some areas of trading. Chapter 5 is excellent and covers various breadth and/or market internal measurements. I found this chapter to be worth the price of the book as I have always traded with breadth and it was very nice to catch some differt viewpoints and ideas. John Carter is not a systems trader and I am. I code everything and test it extensively. Mr. Carter is a discretionary trader and as I started to code his methods (Part two) I found them to not hold up very well to the scrutiny of computer analysis. The concepts are still of value though, so I still recommend it as excellent reading and a wide array of excellent trading ideas that could be built on. Many times it is the process in the thinking that is of more value that the content itself. So, if you are inclined to purchase the book to find instantly useable trading ideas, you might come up short. But, if you want something that might inspire some of your own brilliance, of course, you may just find a jewel or two. Section three of the book covers more on planning, psychology and the game of trading. This is an excellent book for any level of trader.



3. New to day trading? Read this first and read it often. Plain english with plenty of examples to make clear sense of the trading methods described. I have purchased no less than six books on the subjects of trading, options, investing etc. in the past year, all of them left me with a feeling of not getting what I paid for. Some were just a long winded infomercials for some product or service. Not this book. Worth every penny.



4. This is a MUST read. I have read a lot of books on trading and this book is really the only one that had helped me. That is an understatement. This book had changed my trading life forever!! Read all the other reviews and let me add this. Read the book cover to cover twice. Go to his website and sign up for his newsletter. Get the 4 day seminar on dvd. Buy the 5 indicator package. And finally start making some money. Yes all of this is expensive. It is worth every cent.. I paid for all of this in one day of trading using the indicators and his techniques!! Trading for me now is no stress, no yelling at the screen. And finally I have stopped buying the guy on the other side of the trade dinner or worse. No, I am not affiliated with TTM, this stuff just works and I wanted to share the news.



5. Always looking for more information, I got this book since it is so popular. I already use the "Applied Reality Trading" software, so wasn't really needing Carter's set-ups, but found them informative. And, the rest of the book has much valuable information also, but is lacking in a key area of educating the reader about the importance of risk control and money management.
   
   The areas that were my favorite were:
   
   1) Ways that Carter takes the pulse of market emotions - a) Dive, Captain, Dive - he writes about how when "newbie" traders on a free trial in his trading room press the "submarine dive" noise - the more experienced traders know that it is time to cover their shorts and go long. b) What does your mother think? Another way he uses sentiment from "non-traders" to gauge when the market is topping or bottoming -- is by listening them interpret news headlines.
   
   2) His drawdown rules and profit rules are useful for formulating your own personal rules. For example if Carter is down by 20% for the month he will stop trading for the rest of the month, and, if he hits a 30% total drawdown on his account, he takes a six week break from trading.
   
   3) The profit rules are equally useful. Love his "euphoria" rule where if he has a day in which he makes $5,000 per $100,000 (or 5% return on his money in one day), he will "...take the next day off to escape those feelings of euphoria that cause traders to do stupid things...". And then, he says he will withdraw 50% of his trading profits at the end of each quarter.
   
   The areas of the book that were weak were the following:
   
   1) Risk control is weak, although he briefly mentions at the end of the book to not risk more than 2% of your account equity on any one trade, which is helpful. What has been profitable for me, is using the risk of ruin tables and the optimal f formula to be more precise with exactly how much to risk. You can get some easy formulas on this approach from McDowell's book "A Trader's Money Management System" A Trader's Money Management System: How to Ensure Profit and Avoid the Risk of Ruin (Wiley Trading) and you may find at times it is better to risk 1% or 2.5% or maybe even higher. The percent risked is based on what your pay off ratio and win ratio -- so it is not a shot in the dark with a flat 2% risk.
   
   2) Paper trading has helped me refine my skills and, in my opinion, one weakness in Carter's book and philosophy is that he says "...paper trading it's more worthless than an iraqui dinar...". It will be hard for readers to dive right into the markets trying his set ups and be profitable if they don't test them in a safe environment (like paper trading), to at least see if they hold merit for their personal trading style and psychology. Maybe I'm more cautious than Carter, but I'd rather test the waters before jumping in.
   
   Overall, this book will get you started, but you'll need a few other tools and books to round out your tool kit before entering the markets.

5 comments about Gung Ho! Turn On the People in Any Organization.

1. If there are any people who know more about the practical aspects of the management of people than the authors, I have yet to encounter any of their work. In this book, they once again demonstrate how simple the principles of good management are to state. The problem of course is that they require managers to give up control and let their workers have some power and receive praise. Since many managers are fundamentally insecure, this does not happen. Instead, when something goes wrong, they impose more controls, lowering morale even further and in the worse case situations start a negative feedback loop to catastrophe.
   Peggy Sinclair is given the managerial responsibility at the Walton Works #2, a location that is notorious for under performing. Before she gets there, she is warned about Andy Longclaw, a Native American who is considered a problem. When Peggy arrives, she immediately encounters Andy and they strike up a conversation. Andy talks about the "Wicked Witch" who will be arriving shortly to take over. Fortunately, rather than be offended, Peggy is polite and takes Andy seriously. This begins an effective collaboration between them as Andy teaches her the principles of the "Gung Ho!" organization.
   They are simple and are represented by the behavior of three species of animals:
   
   *) The squirrel - do worthwhile work, the squirrel gathers food and stores it away to avoid starving later. However, the squirrels chatter at each other and do not work together.
   *) The beaver - in control of achieving the goal, when their dam is breached, the beavers work together, while one is putting a stick in one location and of a certain orientation, another will be placing another that reinforces what the first has done. When danger appears, a slap of the tail on the water warns all other beavers.
   *) The goose - when geese fly together, they are constantly honking at each other. This communication can be considered as encouragement of the others.
   
   These three principles are the fundamentals to getting people to perform:
   
   *) Give them meaningful work
   *) Have the work of each employee reinforce that of others
   *) Give regular and appropriate encouragement and congratulations for work done
   
   The authors also use a different take on the famous Einstein equation E = m*c*c.
   
   Enthusiasm equals mission times cash and congratulations
   
   There is no question that these principles will work, they will turn work groups into high producers, and the problem is that so many managers lack the self-esteem to make the attempt. Which is one of the primary reasons why American business is weaker than it could be.



2. I did not think it could happen - but with our new intitatives and
   company wide conference calls explaining them, people are begining to
   take on the Gung Ho mentality. It's all in the approach. The book taught us that.



3. I don't know what it was, but I fell in love with the book as soon as I started reading. The book inspired me. We choice the book as a book club book for administrative assistants, and found that it was just as aplicable to us as to management.



4. We are using this book as part of our overall management training. The concepts taught are valuable and useful in all areas of management and tie in effectively with other required reading in the program. The key is to go beyond just reading the book and apply the principles taught within its pages. We are beginning to see a change in our management culture as a result of applying these techniques.



5. Awesome product and could not of come any faster. I would by from this site again

5 comments about The Prize : The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power.

1. I learned a great deal from this book, from the rise of Standard Oil, it's dissolution, wildcatters, and the rise of the Middle East. I now have a better understanding of the economics of oil. The knowledge this book covers is still applicable today, including Saudi Arabia's continued role in attempting to regulate oil prices, and the risks/rewards of offshore oil drilling, and why too low price of oil is bad (too high is obvious, as we all know with the summer-2008 gasoline prices). It should be required reading for all politicians and also should be read by anyone who voices an opinion (left or right-wing) on energy-related topics.
   
   Highly recommended.



2. Daniel Yergin's well-researched and sourced book provides the oil-based context for much of what happened, happens, and will happen in politics and war. A must read for those who want to understand the world in which they live.



3. The Prize is a feast of a book. It is one of my all time favorites, including novels, biographies and the lot. Daniel Yergin, the author, makes a very exciting plot of the history of the oil business, starting in Pennsylvania in 1859.
   
   The best parts, both analytical and epical, is where he writes about the upstream part of the oil business, ie. exploring, finding and producing crude. The story takes us from Pennsylvania, to Texas, Indonesia, Russia, Venezuela, Mexico, Persia, Kuwait and Saudi-Arabia to Alaska.
   
   Yergins main thesis is that oil became a strategic commodity around 1900. Nations and governments want control over crude, because they are unable to conduct wars without it. Therefore they are willing to go to war to secure oil supplies, and availability of oil determined to a certain extent the outcome of WWII.
   
   The book is also a very good account on general world history between 1859 and 1991. Interesting and fun anecdotes flourish, but Yergin is still keeping the analytical banner high. Fantastic book!



4. The recent and tumultuous situation with petroleum pricing, coupled with the obviously baleful effects on the environment of hydrocarbon fuels, combined with rising demands, diminishing supplies, economic turmoil in the world economy and sourcing from the ever-unstable Middle East prompted me to re-read Daniel Yergin's masterpiece, "The Prize".
   
   While everyone has an opinion on petroleum pricing and usage, ranging from simple-minded conspiracy theories to empirical invocations of "market economies", no one outside "the business" can legitimately lay claim to having an informed opinion on the topic without having carefully read this book.
   
   As is often the case in history, there is an annoyingly repetitious flavor to the story. Fluctuations in petroleum supply/demand ratios, wildly variable pricing, toxic waste accumulation, political machinations, corporate manipulation, Cassandra-like warnings of the dire implications of reliance on hydrocarbon-based energy, attempts to formulate national and international strategies...its all been stated, argued and ignored since the 1930s. As US Interior Secretary Harold Ickes caustically remarked during the War, "It is impossible to carry the American people along with you on a program of caution to forestall a threatening position." Yergin noted that, "Prevention, whether it be an ounce or a pound was bad politics..." Of course, the same holds true now, as then.
   
   The insights into the "culture" of the oil magnates as well as those of the governments who sometimes worked with them (whilst simultaneously indicting them for "collusion", as did the US Justice Department); the motives of the Middle Eastern oil producers; the founding of OPEC (largely instigated by a Venezualan with Spartan tastes combined with ecological sympathies) and the re-appearance of the same confusion and mixed motives by virtually the same cast of players who currently occupy the stage are all brilliantly detailed in this book.
   
   As for the writing, Yergin writes in an engaging and interesting style. Of course, there are some tedious sections in this very long book, but it certainly holds the interest of the motivated, non-technical reader.
   
   In summary, this book, while written almost twenty years ago, remains important and timely at the close of the second decade of the 21st century. It is necessary background for understanding the current state of the world economy.



5. Very informative. If legislators would have read this book back in 1992 we would be energy independent today. Oil is used as a weapon against America, the free World and it's citizens. Even the "Big 5" oil companies (Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell, BP Arco, Chevron, Conoco Phillips)who operate in America and import oil from the Middle East are putting America and Americans at risk. As the author of, The Truth Behind Gas Prices, I say it is time to get energy independent. The Prize will not tell you how we can do this, but my book will.
   
   Richard Clough
   www.thetruthbehindgasprices.com

5 comments about Getting Past No.

1. I purchased this book for all of my sales people! I personally have read it twice. It must read.



2. What would you do if you face a big NO during negotiation? This book trains you well to handle such challenges. The techniques are very practical. I felt that this book is lot more better than the hypothetical Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In
   
   The author teaches 5 simple negotiation techniques - Get perspective of the situation by 'going to the balcony', step to the adversary's side, re-frame adversary's thoughts and beliefs, build them a golden bridge. If any of the above 4 techniques don't help you - use power to educate your adversaries. The author has cautiously avoided using the word 'adversary'. He recommends everyone to take a 'co-operative' approach and not a 'manipulative' approach.
   
   If there is one thing that is more important than any of the suggested techniques - it is PREPARATION. "The best place to make mistakes is in rehearsing with a friend or colleague, not in negotiating for real". This echoes Jim Champ's "Practice sessions provide you an environment to fail safely" theory.
   
   The importance of having a BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement) is re-enforced in this book. Overall, this is a very good book to read to improve your negotiation skills.



3. wow... I was leading a new contract negotiation with one of our clients who takes pride for being a tough negotiator. The deal was complex and the negotiator had interests that were not in sync with the rest of his organization. Needless to say, I felt defeated and frustrated at the end of the negotiations. So, I got on amazon and started researching books on negotiations and after reading many reviews and learning about the author, I picked this book. I read it in one weekend and could not put it down.
   I applied the principals of this book during a recent difficult situation and amazingly they worked! All parties interests were met.
   We have a team meeting next week where everyone on my team will be getting a copy of this book as gift.



4. This book is simple and to the point. It does what it claims - teach you how to negotiate. You follow the steps when you deal with salespeople, bankers, and so forth. It is particularly helpful because it tells you the games people play. Once you know what they do, it is possible to counteract it. In other words, it is a useful book.



5. 
   Getting past no by William Ury is a nice addition to the basic concepts which were laid out in "Getting to yes". Basically, the content of both books is very similar, Getting to Yes provides the basis and Getting past No provides concrete advise for negotiating and elaborates on the things discussed in Getting to Yes. That said, Getting Past No can be read independently from Getting to Yes.
   
   The book describes five steps of "Break Through Negotiation". These steps are hard since they often reflect doing the opposite of what your natural reaction might be in the particular situation.
   
   These five steps are:
   
   - Don't react. Don't react when being attacked, but step back.
   - Don't argue. Instead try to agree with them and understand their position.
   - Don't reject. Don't reject their position, instead try to reframe their position to understand their underlying interests.
   - Don't push your ideas or proposal. Try to work together with them to make a proposal together which is best for both interests.
   - Don't escalate. When the above fails, don't escalate the situation and instead think about your alternative and try to describe the situation as it just happened.
   
   The book is very readable and has lots of good and useful examples. It's thin and easy to read in a relative short time. It doesn't contain THAT much information though, for more negotiation techniques check their "Getting to Yes".
   
   Recommended to read after Getting to Yes.

1 comments about The Art of the Turnaround: Creating and Maintaining Healthy Arts Organizations.

1. Michael Kaiser has a great reputation for being an arts administrator and for being an effective leader during troubling times. This book takes you through his process and philosophy for turning companies around. The points he makes and his ideas are very practical. I found myself writing down notes and ideas on how I could apply them to our own company. The meat of the book is his case studies, in which he takes you through five organizations he has worked for and what he did to turn the company around. This is the best book I have read on administration in the arts. Mainly because it isn't academic and gives you applicable ideas the moment you start reading.

5 comments about Web of Debt: The Shocking Truth About Our Money System and How We Can Break Free.

1. I have read many books concerning the state of the US economy and this is the best. She expounds on positions touched on by Ron Paul, Bill Bonner and Edward Griffin so that you have a much better understanding of what they mean. Some books like this can be a chore to get through. I could barely put this down. You need to read this.



2. As another reviewer stated, this may be the most important book you will ever read. Ms. Hodgson, you are to be profoundly congratulated for pulling this information together into a readable form and I hope that your sales are rewarding you appropriately. I have done my best to get the word out and have purchased multiple copies as gifts to friends.
   
   I will take my recommendation of this book even a step further and say that anyone who manages to get the information contained in this book into the mainstream dialogue, and force both politicians and big business/banking to explain how continuing business as usual is a viable blueprint for the future, deserves a Noble Prize in conjnction with Ms. Hodgson. Read this book, talk about it with friends, and recommend it to everyone. In my opinion, any chance at a sustainable future depends on it.



3. I never knew how money was made, but now it's crystal clear both how it's made and why we're never taught this in school. We've all been duped and this is undoubtedly the biggest crime in history - yes it is! Want to know how we can reclaim our freedom? Buy this book and study it, then share about it far and wide. May the farce be over soon and may we all live free from the shackles of debt.



4. In short, READ WEB OF DEBT. Sorry for the long-winded review but I love this topic and this book. Web of Debt is an excellent, clearly written, compelling, and eminently readable work. Author Ellen Hodgson Brown, who has plenty of personal experience seeing how the web of debt has destroyed the so-called Third World, presents us with a broad ranging discussion of monetary history and policy and how we got where we are today. In a gripping and engaging fashion, using The Wizard of Oz as the parable, and a blood-sucking spider as metaphor, with Rockefeller as current Master Spider, Brown has simplified a topic considered dry, confusing and until now, beyond human ken by most of us. I could not put this book down, and I have the bags under my eyes to prove it! Web of Debt almost reads like a novel because of the colorful characters and plots that make up the account. Interestingly, I never realized L. Frank Baum's masterpiece was really a populist economic and political parable. Each chapter, each story, each statistic is more jaw-dropping, more eye-popping than the last. At times I felt like I was developing some sort of palsy, constantly shaking my head. I knew some things about the Fed, fiat currency and the shady history and dealings of Wall Street, but this book put so much more into perspective for me, and provides the background from which we can understand and explore further the evolution and practices of the U.S. banking and finance system. This is a fascinating subject and I urge all of you to not only read this book, but anything on the subject, such as Zarlenga's The Lost Science of Money, which I have just ordered, and Shock Doctrine and Confessions of an Economic Hitman. Also, watch "America: Freedom to Fascism" and "Money Masters." Forewarned is forearmed. As Brown shares, this was once a topic that engaged Americans from all walks of life. Whole political parties once formed around the issue of monetary reform. Money touches us all, and you need to understand how it works, and more importantly, who CONTROLS it. Learn why the moneychangers have been reviled and exiled throughout history and how insidious, parasitic, and manipulative this sector of society, essentially a mafia, with the IRS as its "muscle," has become at the expense of common, uninformed people. We need to realize a few things; first, the Federal Reserve System is scamus ultimatus, b/c is it not Federal and there are little if no reserves. All money issued by the Fed is money that is loaned into existence, with the interest payable to a private banking cartel. Therefore there is never enough money in the system to pay the interest. It is known as the "impossible contract." The Federal Reserve Act was deceptively approved and signed by Woodrow Wilson in 1913. It illegally abdicates Congress's sole responsibility to coin and regulate the money supply to a private banking cartel owned by the largest member banks (and families) in the country and the world. It operates in secrecy, has never been thoroughly audited, answers to no one, and is owned by the richest of the rich, and that includes foreign investors! There is a very useful chart on who owns the Fed (a little outdated but enlightening nonetheless)[...]. Ellen Brown also recently posted an article here: http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Banks/Who_Owns_Federal_Reserve%3F.html. Understand that there is, nor has there ever been such thing as a "free market," unless you want to argue for whom it is free. The boom and bust cycles the corporate owned media like to attribute to the ever mysterious "business cycle" are really orchestrated, perhaps loosely but nevertheless planned events designed to transfer massive amounts of wealth from a country's economy into the hands of the wealthiest 1% or less (who own 50% of all the wealth!); inflation is another method (read: tax) they use to accomplish the same feat. These gigantic institutional investment funds can destroy entire countries by blowing up their currency, or target an industry or corporation for takeover in a heartbeat by dumping stock and short-selling enormously leveraged positions. Ma and Pa Investor is mere flotsam and jetsam. Brown uses the analog of the dog with fleas. Guess who are the parasites? It's time to apply our Constitutional "Advantage." How interesting is it that each President that has tried to stand up to the Banking Cartel has been assassinated (i.e., Lincoln, Garfield, Kennedy)? Americans are always being counted among the most productive and hard working people on Earth. So why is it we are the most debt-ridden, suffering the largest income gaps, the most foreclosed on, the most bankrupt and taking the entire world with us, have the least savings, the worst education and health care system, and, thank you very much, are the most militaristic society in modern times? It can all, one way or another, be traced to the banking cartel's private issuance of our money supply and their kleptocratic system known as fractional reserve banking. If we expect to survive as a society, we must act now to take back the power of the coin, which is Congress' Constitutional mandate (Art. I, Section 8).
   
   Brown has done America a huge service in adding clarity and timeliness to the much needed and current hot topic of our economic well-being. I'm not sure, but I think this book went to press about a year ago, and feels as fresh as if it was written last month because everything is happening as feared. The economy is sinking quickly into a black hole. The new administration is making no noise about true banking reform. In fact, the Fed appears to have controlled the discussion by having its own leadership joining the administration, such as the head of the NY Fed Timothy Geithner as Treasury Secty. Nice going, Obama, there's some change Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan can believe in! Give the junkies the keys to the medicine cabinet. They are just going to pump more debt upon us while saving their own skins. This time I think even they are scared that they may have slaughtered the goose and we're all going down the rathole together, but you know they will survive unless we change the rules. It seems clear that the banking elites would rather take us all down with them then relinquish their death grip on our world economy. We have some alternatives to debt money but we need a national currency backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Govt (people). As Glenda the Good Witch says to Dorothy, you've had the power all along, you just didn't know it. We have the power, and we can turn this thing around in short order if we a) hold Congress accountable, and b) make them phase out Federal Reserve DEBT dollars and replace them with good old Greenbacks. I agree with those that believe specie-backed currency is a blind alley which can only lead to further ruin. Gold is a commodity and can be easily manipulated. If payments are to be made in gold, what happens when we have to make our foreign obligations in gold, what happens when we run out of it? If interest is paid in gold, eventually the lender gets all the gold. Under the Greenback system, the government spends money into circulation, debt free. Interest is paid back into the Treasury, reducing the need for taxes. The argument that the government will just flood the economy with paper is as worthless as Fed notes. What has the FED been doing for 100 years? Leave Austrian economics to the Austrians. Ron Paul, while I respect him for some things, has it wrong. Most of his followers blindly accept this "sound money" gold backed currency concept without investigation. And laissez faire doesn't work; banks and capitalism need regulation, and a pen to play in (some of these bankers need a penitentiary!).
   
   Anyway, read the book, it's great!



5. This is an outstanding book, both in scope and detail. I regret only that the book was not available years ago so that my generation of World War II and the crucial years thereafter could get a proper education about economics in general and our U.S. money system in particular. There are several ways to summarize the patient and courageous work which the author, Ellen Brown, devoted to this book. It could be called a history of money and associated politics from just before the establishment of the Bank of England until recent events in the U.S. and abroad. It could be called an elaboration of a moral fable about what is usually taken to be a story for children, namely the Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. It could be called a penetrating exposé of human greed on a vast scale involving the Federal Reserve and national (but privately owned) banks of other countries. It could be described in many other ways. I prefer however to view it as a successful quest for an international currency that could foster and sustain a democratic system that recycles interest or surplus in an ecological manner so as to preclude the tendency for wealth to accumulate on behalf of just a few people at the expense of everyone else.
   
   The author provides an extensive glossary with definitions of key financial terms like bear raid, cartel, central bank, derivatives, Federal Reserve banks, fiat money, leveraging, money supply, moral hazard, Ponzi scheme, privatization, proprietary trading, reserve requirement, short sale, specie, structural adjustment, tight money, uptick rule and so forth. The bibliographic notes and reading list alone are worth many times the price of the book. Best of all is the final chapter which recaps the previously discussed features of money systems and from this reassembly proposes a 12-point platform for any political party (whatever it calls itself) with intent to genuinely resolve our present disaster. The platform is focused around this project: "Either repeal of the Federal Reserve Act as in violation of the Constitution, or amendment of the act to make the Federal Reserve a truly federal agency, administered by the U.S. Treasury."
   
   I can hardly overstate my conviction that this is a must-read book for all Americans who still read books and who still care actively about the future of our beloved country.

5 comments about Will Work from Home: Earn the Cash--Without the Commute.

1. This book is an easy read with excellent ideas and information. I have been seeking ways to make money from home and I found information and resources to give me the best opportunity to be successful.



2. This book is filled with very helpful information. There are websites listed that address almost any topic about working from home. This book starts from the begining of doing a resume, to setting up your own business and what you need to accomplish before actually working from home.



3. This book is full of information! I love watching Tory when she is on Good Morning America and couldn't wait for the book to come out. It really helped me think outside the box and get going! It is a must read! I started my own house cleaning business. It fits perfectly in my schedule so I can still homeschool my two teenage sons. I am my own boss and I love it. I would recommend it to everyone.



4. I found a ton of useful tips and resources in this book. It is very through and offers solid, doable and organized strategies. It is not for those who are looking for someone to show up at their door with a job to hand them. I've read a ton of job, career and work at home guides as this passion which I love to help others with. This book is by far one of the more solid current resources I've read.



5. This book goes over several scenarios where you might want to work from home. It is written for women, however, the advice is applicable to men in many instances as well.
   
   The authors cover how to transition your office job to a home office, looking for jobs that are designed to be done from home, starting a business of your own and direct sales from home.
   
   They get you to take a honest look at yourself to determine if working at home is a good fit for you. This is so important, because as wonderful as working from home might sound, there really are some big considerations that you need to keep in mind to be successful.
   
   The section that gives an overview on what you need to do to start up a new business venture (i.e., insurance, EIN, zoning, accounting, taxes, etc.) would be helpful to anyone who is new to the entrepreneur route.
   
   I'd say this book is a great place to start from.

5 comments about The Creature from Jekyll Island: A Second Look at the Federal Reserve.

1. This is an absolutely incredible book by G. Edward Griffin. It reads like something out of a Hollywood movie but would shake America at its roots if the masses ever woke-up to the monetary deception that's taking place. Mayer Amschel Rothschild was once quoted as saying "Give me control of a nation's money and I care not who makes her laws." This basically means that he who has the gold makes the rules regardless of Washington.
   
   The countries financial and monetary system was hijacked almost 95 years ago by Rockefeller, Morgan, Warburg, Rothschild, and a select group of wealthy families. It's interesting that the only potential presidential candidate speaking about this was Ron Paul. The American dollar is not going to be around much longer as we will be evolving into the North American Union with the Amero as the new currency. For those that are in denial, there is plenty of information on YouTube and Google about this.
   
   This book is a MUST READ by anyone who is concerned over the recent Wall Street bailout crisis. In fact, every American should know this information. There would be a true revolution in this country if that were the case and not the pseudo "change" like the new President elect speaks of. Most of his cabinet of advisers he's picked so far are already CFR members, which are legs of the elitists that profit from the Federal Reserve.
   
   - Matthew Loop, DC
   
   Author of Cracking the Cancer Code: The Secret to Transforming Your Health from Inside Out



2. Interesting book, we ordered it because it was endorsed by Robert Kiyosaki and find it very impressive. The history behind the Federal Reserve is eyeopening in the current financial crisis. Highly recommended to increase your financial IQ!



3. This Book traces the International Bankers attempt to control the nations of the world through a privately owned central bank, manipulating and controlling the money supply creating recessions, depressions and financing wars.our Founding Fathers who wrote the Constitution warned the nation of an institution like a central bank.''Give me control over a nations currency and I care not who writes its laws''wrote Rothschild! those that control the federal Reserve control the world.
   
   
   
   Fiat money created out of nothing(unbacked by gold) issued by a private bank the federal reserve and charging interest on it,what a scam!!this is the cause of our current global economic crises!!!



4. A must-read for any American! Griffin explores the roots of money and banking in the western world. His detailed historical journey travels from the revolutionary war period thru the Napoleonic era to the modern day.
   The book's historical information on the struggle of the founding fathers, Andrew Jackson, and others against banking powers should be taught in every school in America. But, of course, it is not.
   
   Some have and will undoubtedly call portions of it "conspiracy."
   Just remember all those who challenge mainstream history are always mocked in this manner. Just remember that America's entries into both world wars were sparked by lies- the Lusitania, Pearl harbor- that have since been shown to be just that. Unfortunately it is usually too late to change things once the "consiracies" become truths. Perhaps we should all be a little more "conspiratorial" in our thinking. We all see where our naivete has gotten us!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   



5. this book is great. It shows how bad our banks, monetary system and foreign affairs are all intertwined. It is a great starting point for history and our monetary policy. Now you can see why we have a perpetual rate of inflation and why are savings are eroded to a point of worthlessness by the time we retire. If more people read this book, they will demand a return to the gold standard.