Customer Reviews (1)

Precalculus
This book is a must-have for the professor of mathematics.My Dad, Joe Sharp, and my uncle Jack Sharp, with their Auburn buddy Phillip Bean worked for years and years on this book, and their effort, as the reader will see, was very much worth the time they spent. ... Read more

Product Description
Reviews recent advances in the functions and structures of nuclear proteins encoded by oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes. This book also explores the relationship between the biochemical properties of these proteins and regulation of transcription. ... Read more

Product Description
The founder of Four Seasons Hotels shares the philosophy and values that have made his legendary brand

How did a child of immigrants, starting with no background in the hotel business, create the world's most admired and successful hotel chain? And how has Four Seasons grown dramatically, over nearly a half century, without losing its focus on exceptional quality and unparalleled service?

Isadore Sharp answers these questions in his engaging memoir, which doubles as a powerful guide for leaders in any field. He recalls the surprising history of his company, starting with its roots in his father's small construction business, which Sharp joined after getting a degree in architecture. Shifting into hotels wasn't easy, and he learned by trial and error.

His breakthrough was a vision for a new kind of hotel, featuring superior design, top-quality amenities, and, above all, a deep commitment to service. Sharp realized that customers would gladly pay extra for a "home away from home" experience. But that would be possible only if everyone-from managers and supervisors to bellmen, servers, and housekeepers-was fully engaged. The front-line staff, who have the most contact with guests, can make or break a five-star reputation.

Readers will be fascinated to learn how Four Seasons does it, year after year, in more than thirty countries around the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

well done
Book was in great shape.Service was excellent. Saved alot of money.

Very usedul book for anyone working in the Luxury Industry
Very interesting book... Easy to read and easy to remember the most important parts.
It will certianly help anyone working in the Luxury Industry willing to increase the Customer Satisfaction.

Four Seasons: The Story of a Business Philosophy
Talk about a class act. Growing up in a modest family whose patriarch was in the construction business would not necessarily portend what was to become of Isadore Sharp and the Four Seasons Hotel empire he created. From his first hotel, a run of the mill, 125 room motor hotel (motel) in Toronto in 1961, to building and managing an operation that includes 83 of the some of the world's most impressive properties across 35 countries, Sharp has instilled a philosophy that puts service and luxury above all else for the sophisticated world traveller.

As this book describes, his personal story and philosophy is in seemless continuity with his product. Sharp describes his early days converting from a business of building mid-level apartment buildings in the Toronto area, to one day pursuing a small motel opportunity that would change his life. His first Four Seasons motor hotel (the name came from a luxury German brand, the Vier Jahrzeiten). He built a second Toronto hotel, the Inn on the Park with more luxury in mind (even a gym!) when he suddenly found himself meeting with executives at super-conglomerate ITT Corporation about building their flagship hotel, the Four Season Sheraton in downtown Toronto.

It was after his `quality' philosophy (and nearing bankruptcy on another deal) got shut down by the Sheraton rulers that a still young Sharp decided he would never work for another company again. He vowed to run his business with his own philosophy; a philosophy that puts customers first and has made the Four Seasons what it is today.

Sharp goes on to describe the many deals that he made around the world to bring the Four Seasons brand to every continent (save Antarctica) and how every deal and many innovations are what drive the brand to this day. His story of class, philanthropy (a must read chapter is the one about the Terry Fox charity run) and an overriding dedication to service are what makes the man and the company what they are today. The fact that he was finally able to take his company private again through an equity partnership with Bill Gates and Saudi Arabia's Prince Alwaleed are testament to the type of organization Sharp has built. In short, few would argue with the statement that the name Four Seasons equals `world class.'

WIth fascinating details, a full appreciation of the many who have helped him fulfill the dream, Isadore Sharp comes across as a class act in a world of less than perfect business leaders. (The book even has a magnificent array of full color pictures on the inside of the jacket!)

Highly recommended. A wonderful read.

Branding 101 for the entrepreneur
A great book to start the year with. Real insights in to the success of a brand - it certainly did not happen over night, but Issy Sharp has followed the 3 C's rule of branding.

Clarity - almost from the outset with one small motel in Toronto he knew what Four Seasons was going to be and he has communicated that same message year after year.

Consistent - he has refused to waiver from his Golden Rule (the values) and deal with people in a way that he would want to be treated. The bumps that he did encounter he learned from and underlined for him why his approach was the right one.

Constant - an almost fanatical zeal for superior service. He has also been a constant innovator in the industry that the rest try to follow and emulate, by which time he is ahead of them again.

This is an excellent example of a brand that allows it's employees to be brands themselves and deliver on the corporate brand promise because of it. A great read for any entrepreneur looking to establish true brand leadership.

Inside & Outside
I've been a happy customer of The Four Seasons for many decades and I've also been hired by them to conduct training programs. Many of their personnel have become my friends. Also one of my family members has worked there for more than ten years. So, when I comment on the hotels I am not merely gushing about a recent great meal or amazing customer service experience.
The Four Seasons is the real deal.
This inspiring book will tell you the back story and show you why this organization is so astoundingly successful. They didn't figure out a trick to amaze people or simply buy opulent goods to be "prettier" than the rest. They did it right. From the inside to the outside this is an organization to emulate.
I sincerely hope that this becomes one of the great business best sellers of all time. If it does then thousands more will learn the wisdom of Isadore Sharp's philosophy and strategies. Other organizations will become more like the Four Seasons.
I commend Mr. Sharp on this excellent book and I am awed at his excellence on all levels both organizational and personal.
Bravo! ... Read more

Product Description
Journalist, James Stanley, is faced with the imminent birth of his child. Having decided to forego the test that would determine whether his child is carrying the all-important Super-S gene, which differentiates the genetic makeup of a superhero from that of a normal person, James sets out on a quest to interview forty-five super-powered individuals in the hope that their experiences may better prepare him for the birth of a child that is potentially gifted with extraordinary abilities.

On his journey, he encounters characters from all walks of life; from single mothers struggling to raise gifted children, to rebellious super-teenagers, all the way through to those reaching the end of their lives. But what starts as a voyage of personal discovery becomes something far more ominous when he crosses paths with an organization known as XoDOS.

Each page of art has been illustrated by a different comic artist, with no predetermined brief given; just the written page as guidance. The concept is unlike anything you've seen in comic books so far; it truly is an original attempt at redefining what people expect from a comic book format. Featuring the art of Liam Sharp, Jock, Sean Philips, Randy Green, Charlie Adlard and Dan Brereton, to name but a few of the 45 contributors. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Not what I expected
I thought this would be a comic in the traditional sense, but I was dissopointed to find it in interview form, with a picture on one side and text on the other. Boring...cant even finish it. Maybe others will love it, but since a review is subjectiv, this is my oppinion. Should never have bought it.

Great idea - average execution.
I bought this book for the premise. And I wasn't disappointed... in the premise that is. The execution...not so much. I loved that they chose different artists for each interview and that the subjects progressed in age as the interviews went on to show the gamut of individuals and so forth.

If you look up the summary on amazon it sounds great! but it's the dialogue that screws it all up. And for a story solely dependent on dialogue that's even worse. It simply didn't sound right. Large paragraphs with no back and forth or natural interaction of any kind fell flat and don't get me started on the American characters. Their dialogue was the worse. Do you really think we sound like that? I sure hope not.

I'm giving this five stars for the idea and artwork and minus two for the dialogue.

The best graphic novel I've ever read
If you like superhero comicbooks, but you think they lack some depth, read this. If you liked Kurt Busiek's "Marvels" or "Kingdom come" by Alex Ross, read this.
The idea of the book is new and different and gives the author the possibility to highlight all sorts of storyideas for superpowered people. It is not a comicbook. It is not a book. It is something inbetween.
Give it a try. You wont be dissapointed!

First-time Writer Ewington Throws Down The Gauntlet at "Watchmen"
"45" is a "comic book" that transcends the medium, ranking up in the pantheon of best graphic novels of all time.Even more amazing is the fact that this is Andi Ewington's first book.

The concept is simple: the narrator, James Stanley, conducts a series of 45 interviews of people with the "Super-S" gene which gives superpowers.Each interview appears on the right hand page, with art by a different guest artist on the left hand page.The book is not a comic book in the true sense of the word, nor it is a novel.It's most similar to "Watchmen" in the fact that the text is equally important as the art.

In a stroke of genius, Ewington is able to weave all of the interviews together to not only create an entire milieu, but a coherent narrative.Reading this book is like putting pieces of a puzzle together.I purposely read this book slowly because I didn't want it to end too quickly.Like great literature or a complex movie, it will be interesting to read a second time to see how the experience differs from the first reading.

The artwork in this book is astounding.Imagine giving the best comic artists in the world the task to illustrate a vignette in any way they see fit on one page. The results are amazing. Some of the pages rival the best covers ever drawn.Others stand up on their own as pieces of art that should be displayed in a museum.The variety of artistic styles blend seamlessly with the variety of individuals that the narrator interviews.

This book is the first I have read since the Watchmen that breathes new life into the chronically boring superhero genre. Ewington explores new ground that I have not seen covered in the thousands of super-hero titles out there.I don't expect to read anything of this caliber again for quite some time.I sincerely hope that Andi Ewington has more where this one came from.

I was shocked to find this book was so hard to find when it first came out - even my local comics store in NYC did not have it.Get your hands on this modern classic today.

Solid run at an ambitous concept.
I ordered this one after a really exciting [...] preview.The final product delivered, especially on the artwork front.The story was interesting if a bit contrived, at times.Definitely worth the purchase. ... Read more

Product Description
Accounts of Oregon pioneers by their descendants. ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: William Goebel, Solomon P. Sharp, Guin Richie Phillips, Death of Hugh O'connor, Barry Winchell, William "Bull" Nelson, Brenda Cowan, Mox Mcquery, Sam Catron, Pearl Bryan, Barbara Ann Hackman Taylor, Harry Simms. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 61. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: William J. Goebel (January 4, 1856 February 3, 1900) was an American politician who served as the 34th Governor of Kentucky for a few days in 1900 after having been mortally wounded by an assassin the day before he was sworn in. Goebel remains the only state governor in the United States to be assassinated while in office. A skilled politician, Goebel was well able to broker deals with fellow lawmakers, and equally able and willing to break the deals if a better deal came along. His tendency to use the state's political machinery to advance his personal agenda earned him the nicknames "Boss Bill", "the Kenton King", "Kenton Czar", "King William I", and "William the Conqueror". Goebel's abrasive personality made him many political enemies, but his championing of populist causes, like railroad regulation, also won him many friends. This conflict of opinions came to a head in the Kentucky gubernatorial election of 1900. Goebel, a Democrat, divided his party with self-serving political tactics at a time when Kentucky Republicans were finally gaining strength, having elected the party's first governor four years previously. These dynamics led to a close contest between Goebel and William S. Taylor. In the politically chaotic climate that resulted, Goebel was assassinated. The identity of his assassin remains an unsolved mystery. Wilhelm Justus Goebel was born January 4, 1856, in Albany Township, Pennsylvania, the son of William and Augusta Goebel, immigrants from Hannover, Germany. The first of fou...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=12943672 ... Read more