Subjects:  1. 20th century   2. Americas (North Central South West Indies)   3. Civilization   4. History   5. History - General History   6. History: American   7. United States - State & Local - General   8. West (U.S.)   

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance   2. Small Business - Capital Generation   

Customer Reviews (2)

GOING PUBLIC... or not?
Though I found the book to be humorous and at times enjoyable, I felt the author could have done a better job trying to prove his point. It was hard to tell whether he was trying to say going public is the best way to maximize profit or if it is the best way to bring on an early heart attack. He blatantly describes the travails of MIP's computer company as they try to go public (he describes the extraneous hours, constant, and fears). Though he was trying to show that despite the problems and hard work there is a substantial gain, I was so sucked into the pitfalls that I wasn't sure if the gain was worth it. I would recommend this book to people who want to learn about going public versus staying private, it will help you know what you're getting yourself into.

Mildly Entertaining and Informative
This book recalls the story of an early 1990s startup company's journey to the public market, with the climax being its Going Public Day.

Because it was writen by a reporter, the book reads more like a broken-up newspaper article than a story. Each chapter is a tangent to the company's journey to IPO day. Some are more relevant than others. Furthermore, the author has a style of switching persons while telling the story, which makes for confusing reading a times.

However, the book does provide good insight into detailed trials a company faces during its IPO route. If you are into IPO non-fiction it may be worth your read. If you enjoy entrepreneurial non-fiction, then I highly recommend "Startup - A Silicon Valley Adventure Story" ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance   2. Business/Economics   3. General   

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography   2. General   

Subjects:  1. History   2. Montana   3. Travel - United States   4. United States - General   5. United States - State & Local - General   

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance   2. Marketing - General   

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance   2. Marketing - General   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics   2. General   3. Spanish: Adult Nonfiction   

Subjects:  1. Education   2. Higher   

Customer Reviews (2)

Exciting tale of a young man caught up war.
We Follow Kevin Dillon through his innocent and optimistic youth in Boston, into a racist cauldron, to his rescue and thence to a love affair with a proverbial farmer's daughter, and then into the U.S. Army in Texas. Michael Hogan has written an interesting, thoughtful, and exciting tale based on historical facts. Kevin's experience in Mexico are at once exciting and tragic. A novel well worth the read.

Simply the BEST war novel of this period.
Few writers have ever had a more intense identification with the San Patricios than Michael Hogan. (San Patricios was the name given to the Irish soldiers who deserted to fight for Mexico in the Mexican-American War. Hogan, an Irish-American who has long lived in Mexico and speaks fluent Spanish, is currently head of the English and Humanities Departments at Guadalajara's American School. The author of twelve books, he was also historical consultant on the set of "One Man's Hero," an MGM picture starring Tom Berenger and Daniela Romo which presents a fictional episode in the history of the San Patricios. "Molly Malone and the San Patricios" does double duty as a robust action novel and a work of historical revisionism. (Though named after that famed dispenser of cockles and mussels, "Molly Malone" is an Indian dog that has attached itself to the Irish battalion.) Since some of the soldiers who deserted to fight for Mexico were U.S. citizens (others were immigrants who joined the Army because of anti-Irish discrimination in civilian life), media organs of the day were almost unanimous in branding them as traitors. In a sober and compelling analysis, Hogan shows how the treatment they received would hardly induce them to become superpatriots a la George M. Cohen, an Irish-American lucky enough to come after anti-Hibernian prejudice had evaporated. The earlier newcomers daily encountered signs reading "No Irish need apply!" and, after joining the Army, were even denied Catholic chaplains. Hogan's historical work, published in 1997, was titled "The Irish Soldiers of Mexico." His novel follows the outline of the nonfiction book but also has an early section that proceeds events in Mexico. The protagonist is a 16-year-old "greenhorn" right off the boat who encounters both torment and ecstasy in the life of a newly arrived immigrant. He is beaten up by bigots in a bar but then employed by a rich farmer whose nubile daughter is instantly attracted to him. Though the farmer is well-intentioned, his benevolence does not extend to sanctioning a romantic laison between his dughter and a penniless Catholic immigrant. This leads to a chain of events that culminate in Kevin being shanghaied into the army and shipped off to the Mexican border on the eve of President Polk's "Manifest Destiny" invasion of Mexico. The rest is known. Kevin and his comrades desert and form an artillery battalion that distinguishes itself in some of the war's most sanguinary battles. Using an E.L. Doctorow approach, Hogan deftly blends fictional and historical figures in the novel. Lee and Grant make cameo appearances, as does Henry Clay Jr., who dies in a war that his father strenuously opposes. Hogan offers up some marvellous touches of humor. No historical figure was more vainglorious than the Mexican commander Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Photography had recently been invented and the Irish soldiers quipped that Santa Anna would rush out of his tent in full uniform whenever lightning flashed: he thought God wanted to take his picture. A more somber episode--and one that touches intimately on the area of ethnic stereotyping--involves an agonizing decision that the Irish survivors had to make when the war ended and they were in captvity. A lieutenant named Martin Lyndon had been a barrister in his native Galway before economic circumstances forced him to emigrate. A realistic man, a born survivor, he addresses his comrades in their cell: "I'm going to suggest that we plead the defense of drunkenness at our trials. Drunkenness as an excuse for desertion. Let me tell you why." Lyndon goes on to explain tht drunkenness has traditionally been considered a mitigating factor in courts-martial and such a plea would be bound to reduce penalties they might suffer--shorter terms of imprisonment or, at worst, the honor of a firing squad rather than hanging. Though some soldiers buy Lyndon's argument, a young idealist like Dillon is repelled by what he considers a disgraceful copout. "They had deserted an invading army for the noblest reasons," writes Hogan. "They had fought for a cause they believed in, under a banner which represented their faith and ideals. They had shown courage and honor in battle and now they were about to negate it all by declaring that they were simply a bunch of drunks." While some of his comrades make this devils's bargain, Kevin Dillon goes to death on the scaffold. --Reviewed by Jim Tuck Guadalajara Colony Reporter ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History   2. History: World   3. Latin America - Mexico   4. Lesbian   5. War & Military   

Customer Reviews (1)

Thought provoking wisdom on the digital age
Being a fan of Forbes and ASAP makes me somewhat partial. Oftentimes business books tend to wonder off into their own world of advice and author tainted views. Not so with Big Issues. It takes you to places you want to visit and places you never knew existed. Like "Lessons from the Top," by Thomas Neff and James Citrin, Big Issues offers advice and wisdom from many perspectives.

It's a book full of forest and trees on how the Internet has wedged its way into all our lives. Key chapters abound like Screw's Al Goldstein's 'Cybersex Leaves Me Limp,' and Andy Grove's 'Only the Productive Survive,' offer insight hard to find elsewhere. It's one of those rare books you can take with you and just open up to any point and read with interest. Like fine music, I will enjoy this read over and over again. I loved this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics   2. Business/Economics   3. Forecasting   4. General   5. Information Management   6. Information networks   7. Information society   8. Information superhighway   9. Social Aspects   10. Social Aspects - General   11. Technology & Industrial Arts   12. Business & Economics / General   13. Business & Management   14. Cultural studies   15. Technology: General Issues   

Subjects:  1. English law: citizenship & nationality law   2. Equal opportunities   

Customer Reviews (3)

Ultimately it takes salespeople to drive business
Thomas Siebel has a great vision for what many corporate bureaucracies cloud over with endless data analysis...it takes real salespeople, on the street, selling the business to succeed. IT systems are meant to help in a number of different ways but ultimately they must exist to move sales forward and not drag them down. Siebel explains how companies can benefit from the data collection and analysis while empowering the salesforce to sell.

A good resource for those struggling to define their vision
This book is an excellent choice for individuals hell-bent on implementing sales automation without really knowing why. For those who are struggling to develop a vision for their sales automation initiative, Tom Siebel does a good job of balancing relevant historical information with real world examples and hypothetical situations. One might expect a book written by Tom Siebel to make the case for his company's own software solution, but that is not the case. Instead, Tom provides keen insight into the benefits of automation as it relates to the processes of selling and customer relationship management. Those who are have already developed and successfully articulated a clear vision for their sales automation initiative may find this book interesting, but probably of little value in moving forward. "Virtual Selling" concentrates exclusively on vision. Those looking for advice or information on the process one goes through in successfully developing and implementing a sales automation initiatve need to look elsewhere. Anyone wishing further information regarding this book, or sales automation in general, should feel free to email me at adamleft@webspan.net - Adam Lefton

Reasonable introduction to Sales IT issues
Readable book suitable for those interested in introduction to high level sales concepts and a 1995 view of anticipated impact of technology on selling. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance   2. Business/Economics   3. E-Commerce - General   4. Sales & Selling - Management   5. Business & Economics / Sales & Selling