Books for/about - Holden

The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing: A Guide to Profitable Decision Making (3rd Edition)

Publisher: Prentice Hall
Authors: Thomas T. Nagle Reed K. Holden Reed Holden

ISBN: 013026248X
List Price: $65.00
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Summary: The Value-based Pricing Bible...
Nagle's book has become the defacto standard for value-based pricing. Prior to Nagle, value-based pricing was the holy grail of New Product Development.

The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing give you the tools to more effectively price your products to reflect the true value and provide maximum returns. This book is a must for anyone involved in the pricing decision.

Summary: Right on target
This book is packed with very useful advice. It forces you to consider aspects of pricing that would typically be ignored. As a bonus, the book doesn't read like a textbook.

Summary: Pricing can help you win or lose
From my blog http://jimestill.blogspot.com/: One of the books he recently loaned me is called "The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing" by Nagle and Holden. It is a highly technical read - a bit like a text book.

Pricing is a challenge in computer distribution. Our margin is so thin. Much of the book is about companies with more differentiated products and hence higher margins. Our industry is one of almost perfect competition. My challenge is to try to offer customers great value while at the same time making a fair profit. A 0.1% change in price in our industry can make the difference between profit and loss.

I am a big believer in competitive advantage. Being the lowest price without the lowest cost is a recipe for failure.

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Universal Principles of Design: 100 Ways to Enhance Usability, Influence Perception, Increase Appeal, Make Better Design Decisions, and Teach Through Design

Publisher: Rockport Publishers
Authors: William Lidwell Kritina Holden Jill Butler

ISBN: 1592530079
List Price: $40.00
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Summary: Applies to more than graphic design
This book is a tremendous book. While I think the target audince of this book are graphic artists it is useful for any industry or occupation. As an IT professional, the techniques offered in this book helped me design better interfaces for software systems.

Great book

Summary: Efficient, Concise, Well written
Every designer should own this book. It codifies an abundance of principles about usable design into a very useful reference.

Summary: Invaluable Resource
This book is an exceptional resource to anyone involved in a creative design discipline. Many of the principles and ideas have been explored in other books and publications, but they are assembled here into a single reference text that is easy to read, clear in communication and powerful in arrangement. A complete read will awaken the reader to a host of ideas that will support any ongoing creative work. The book describes each principle, and provides examples on the adjacent page in order to better emphasize the benefit of the idea. Not all examples are home-runs, but the collection of ideas and their sub-categorization based on occupation and taks makes for easy reference. Additional research, books, and web-sites are also provided for further learning. Design is currently very high-profile, and this resource will provide new ideas and enhance existing concepts.

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	The Catcher in the Rye Publisher: Little, Brown Authors: J.D. Salinger
ISBN: 0316769533 List Price: $25.95 Amazon Price: $17.13 Usually ships in 24 hours Buy this book from amazon.com or from amazon.co.uk	Avg Cusomer Rating: 1 Reviews: Summary: An Overall Letdown My summer assignment for school was reading this book. Not only did I not enjoy the book, I thought its overall meaning was ridiculous. First of all, I can read sad stories. But the book constantly depresses you. I found the "vernacular" in the book annoying and nothing ever happened right. I highly disagree with the "beauty" and "heartbreaking imagery" in the book. The book was phony. I don't believe the story is universal at all. Not many people I know walked around New York city with symptoms of schizophrenia at the age of seventeen. It sure does not define my life. I do not think that is a great way to be initiated into adulthood. It sure does not tell the coming of age story for people I would like to know or meet in my lifetime. There are many great and fantastic American literary masterpieces out there. Read one of those. Summary: Great pastime but bad prose I think the J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye got all the things one wants to find in a coming-of-age novel -- teanage blues, naive view of the world, and growing up growing old. There is a definite flow to the prose, but it is somewhat too repetitive in regard to certain fillers and all that it becomes tiresome and vexing to read through. Personally I think that written prose for a work such as this should be a little more sophisticated than the spoken prose, but the author may not agree with me. We see the world through our protagonist Holden Caulfield's eyes and follow him as he live a special 24-hour bit of his life during which he had decided to make a life changing decision but finally got the better of himself and changed his mind in the end. The kind of doubt and angst universally felt by teens across the world is depicted vividly in the writing. The subject matter of this novel is an interesting one. Summary: Not the best - and not the worst - novel of the 20th Century Catcher in the Rye is a good book and all. That Holden Caufield, he kills me. I swear to God he does. I mean, he's not a phony or anything. I hate phonies. I really do. (Okay - I know I'm not the first person to mimic the prose of Catcher in the Rye in a review - but I couldn't help myself) This novel is considered a classic by many - I assume because it was groundbreaking and controversial in its day. But it hasn't stood the test of time well. Its controversial elements are tame by today's standard and the novel itself feels hopelessly dated (not in a good way - like say `The Great Gatsby' is dated by the Jazz era). The character of Holden Caufield may have connected with young people of a certain generation and class, but I couldn't relate to this story of the poor little rich kid struggling to find his way in the world. While Holden is not without his charms, for the most part he comes across whiny and self centered - the kind of kid who needs a good kick from behind. I found Salinger's signature prose entertaining in small doses, (Holden has his moments and the narrative has an authentic feel to it) but over the full duration of a novel the repetitive adolescent writing style (as authentic as it may be) starts to grate on your nerves. A lot of people consider Catcher in the Rye to be among the best novels ever written. I suppose there are an equal number of detractors who will tell you it is among the worst. I, on the other hand, fall somewhere in between. Despite its dated feel and whiny central character, Catcher in the Rye is often entertaining and at times touching. Holden's relationship with his younger sister is the heart of the novel - its salvation really. It is through his sister that I came to care (at least a little) about Holden. The final chapters of the novel are strong with Holden accepting his passage into adulthood while his sister rides a carousel in the rain. One of the greatest novels of the 20th Century? Not by a long shot, but it's worth a read if you weren't already forced to in high school. Summary:

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Starting an Online Business For Dummies, 4th Edition

Publisher: For Dummies
Authors: Greg Holden

ISBN: 0764583344
List Price: $24.99
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Summary: Great Book For the New Startup
This guy knows what he is talking about. I did exactly what he said when I was setting up my on-line business. The only thing was that this book didn't exist then and I had to learn it all one step at a time. Well, I guess that's the only way any of us learn anything.

One thing he emphasises strongly and with which I cannot agree more, be a good e-mailer. If you get a question, a complaint, or anything else, respond quickly and in a friendly manner. Remember the old saying, "The customer is always right, even when he's wrong he's still right."

If you ship someone a bad CD (if that's what you're selling) and he comes bad and says it's bad, send him a new one immediately, before you even tell him to send you the old one back. Send it by first class mail, or even overnight. The rating he is likely to give you on e-Bay or Amazon or just with his friends is worth far more than the cost.

One point I would emphasize stronger. Pick a niche in which to market. Amazon sells everything, but not REALLY everything. Specialty hobby products from rock climbing to clock making, specialty books like maybe I-10 from one end to the other (and if you publish this, Amazon might sell it for you). You must specialize in something, something you cna define in a short sentence, or may two.

If you start an on-line business, remember that the web is only a communications medium. You're really just using the web to do what we used to call mail-order. This book emphasizes the on-line part of the business, just like the title says, you'll learn all this sooner or later, in this little book you'll have everything at your fingertips.

Summary: To basic and not enough practical guidance
This book was clearly for beginners only. Although the book says "for dummies", you'd really HAVE to be a dummy to get much out of this. The book is simply too vague when talking about important internet concepts and doen't show you how to REALLY get an online business going. I personally would reccomend 33 Days to Profits by Yank Silver www.33daystoprofits.com as a much better way to get PRACTICAL advice on starting an online business.

Summary: Good summary of...
what you need to get started, but not a great deal of detail. Also there was a lot of promotion for other people in the book, which I did not expect. The book makes it appear anyone can have a successful online business if they have the drive, but this is not realistic since there are many details that must be understood for a successful online business. My advise: Don't be overly optimistic because a stranger said you can be successful.

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Structural Design for the Stage

Publisher: Focal Press
Authors: Alys Holden Ben Sammler

ISBN: 024080354X
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Summary: For the Professional
If you are a technical director looking to improve your knowledge base and are committed to protecting the people who rely on your decisions, this book is invaluable. If you have ever looked at the Timber Construction Manual, you know that building safe structures is a very complicated process. This book is built on the fundamental principles that allow professionals to build structures like the Sears Tower and the Empire State Building. It coalesces those ideas and applies them to scenery construction. It allows TD's to learn how to make informed decisions regarding the scenery they build. It is not for the faint-hearted. There is math involved. And it can be easy to get lost in the calculations. But, if you stick to it, the benefits are far reaching; from knowing that you have done your job well, to instilling confidence in those people who put their lives into your hands. Any serious TD must understand the principles that this book imparts. You owe it to yourself and the people with which you work. This book is the first to take difficult principals and make them accessible to everyone, not just those with engineerings degrees.

Summary: Very Technical
Although it may be perfect for some people, this book was not what I was looking for. It promises to keep it simple--wow, I'd hate to see what's considered complicated. It's very heavy on the math and physics. If you are an engineer or a math-minded TD you might find this book fascinating. If you are looking for how-to stuff, you'll be disappointed. It contains almost no illustrations or plans and is mostly physics formulas. I'm looking for instructions and plans on how to build lighter, stronger, better sets--in other words, the findings of TD's working with theses formulas, not the math itself. If you want to design your own new stuff and get yourself into a Yale Tech Brief, this book is for you, but if you're hoping this book will be another Tech Brief Collection, you'll be disappointed.

Summary: Why sets stand up
Structural Design for The Stage is every teacher's dream come true. You can work with it in your classes just the way it is. Everything is organized around a normal one-hour lesson. Unfortunately the book is not metric, which makes it hard to use in Europe.

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	The Selling Fox: A Field Guide for Dynamic Sales Performance Publisher: Wiley Authors: Jim Holden
ISBN: 0471061808 List Price: $29.95 Amazon Price: $20.37 Usually ships in 2 to 3 weeks Buy this book from amazon.com or from amazon.co.uk	Avg Cusomer Rating: 4 Reviews: Summary: A Good Read! Jim Holden uses the metaphor of the Selling Fox to present ideas that will sharpen the skills of any competitive sales professional. Unlike many sales books, which have a "supervisory" voice, written from the perspective of someone who isn't actually battling away on the front lines, Holden writes about the reality of winning and keeping business. Foxes survive and thrive in an environment where another player is always scheming to steal their cheese, not move it. In fact, one unique aspect of this helpful guide is its practical advice on how to set traps for your competitors and take their clients away. That may not fit the rest of Holden's emphasis on integrity - but the law of the jungle is often what makes a sales professional a valued property. Maybe the fox analogy is overdone, but the phrase "super sales person" is even more careworn. We from getAbstract strongly recommend this book to those engaged in the noble business of selling, and to those who train them. Summary: This is HOW TO SELL... This is how to sell...in any and all competitive markets.. If you are not aware or using this stuff...you are at a big time loss...or will loose sales to me. -Measure your personal performance and professional development -Establish and maintain executive relationships -Destabilize the competition to win market share (THE BEST.BEST.BEST STUFF) -Build personal credibility -Utilize advanced blocking and trapping techniques (GREAT IDEAS) -Objectively evaluate sales opportunities and pursue the right lead every time -Anticipate and defend against competitors' attacks (ONLY WAY TOO GO!) Summary: A must read for all WHO sell in competitive environments... All, I mean ALL, ALL selling, ALL selling is competitive (or you are not in sales) in the new age of selling...info moves faster...decisions are made with differnt spins...and he or she who discerns the buying process and measures every step wins. Jim shows you how...this info is not new yet an expansion of material first introduced years ago on Power Base Selling (the best book on Sage selling ever) and World Class...this book targets the individual skills and intuition of the Selling Fox. Great work. Have read 'SPIN-SPUN' selling and feel that executing that process can be a bigger negative vs. positive to gettting the job done...read 'High Prob Selling' and this will greatly compliment Holdens concepts to some extent. Holden's books will always house my shelf wtih ONLY a few others...'Toa of Sales,' Behr, 'Major Account Selling,' Rackham, 'Solution Selling and High Prob Selling" and of course the BOMB of them all 'The Selling Fox,' Holden. MUST READ! Honest and real!! No hype and bla-bla about... maybe this, that, and the other. Summary:

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Power Base Selling: Secrets of an Ivy League Street Fighter

Publisher: Wiley
Authors: Jim Holden

ISBN: 0471327336
List Price: $16.95
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Summary: This is no "one minute" sales guide
Forget all the Zig Ziglar-type sales technique books! This is the real deal; It's about methodology, not how to glad hand or do an end run around the CFO or purchasing manager. If you want to understand the nature of truly competitive selling read this book, then watch the movie "Glegarry Glen Ross" for contrast. We trained the worldwide sales force of a F500 company on the Holden methodology. Results speak for themselves

Summary: This book gets better every time I read it!!
The first time I read Power Base Selling, I thought it was great. Now that I have just re-read it, I am blown away by points that I missed the first time around. I recommend that everyone read it, apply it and then read it again -- it not only sharpins your political skills in selling, but in life.

Summary: Great sales book...as long as it is not your only approach
Almost all sales books have two major flaws: 1) They give you high level advise, such as "have a strategy" without giving you the "rubber-meets-the-road" actions to take. 2) They expect you to operate within a vaccuum where their selling system or methodology will work every time.

Power Base selling does not contain the first flaw and does an admirable job of trying to avoid the second. It is the first and best book I have read attacking the problem of organizational politics and the human dynamics in a corporate or complex selling environment. It gives very practical ideas on what to do in most political/selling situations to tilt the decision in your favor.

What this book does not do, nor attempt to do, is discuss the importance of a value proposition and the solution you are trying to sell. This is a great book to complement other famous sales books such as "Solution Selling."

I recommend this book highly to anyone that sells in a complex sales world.

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Nana

Publisher: Penguin Classics
Authors: Emile Zola George Holden

ISBN: 0140442634
List Price: $9.95
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Summary: Cortesana astuta
Nana es todas las mujeres en una sóla persona. La complejidad del mundo femenino del siglo XIX es precisamente lo que retrata la historia de esta cortesana. Nana tuvo el mundo en sus manos a punta de utilizar lo que se denominan "estrategias femeninas". En este libro no quedan bien parados ni hombres ni mujeres. Porque al fin y al cabo, las motivaciones, sin importar el género, son las mismas. Hombres y mujeres son prisioneros de su ambición. Y si se mira sin apasionamientos, Nanas existen en CANTIDAD en el mundo de hoy.

Summary: Nana a realistic Novel
Nana is a "realistic" Novel, a "must" for the studious of the late XIX Century France. The novel involves the behavior of the affluent and aristocratic of Paris in times when France was the center of the adult entertainment of the world.
Human relations are described with the usual painful detail of Zola. It is a beautiful novel, delicate but undoubtedly cruel and realistic.

Summary: Nana
I started reading this book on my 16th birthday and didnt finish it until my 17th. Obviously I read many books in between, but I think it was just hard for me to follow and get into.

After I started understanding the book a bit more as I randomly picked it up and put it down again, I fell in love with it.

First of all, Zola did an excellent job in the development of Nana's character. At first, she is a prositute who is an actress and the book begins with one of Nana's performances at the theater. Her character completely captivated me and as Zola said "even the slightest twitch of her finger can fill a man with desire".
As her story goes on, you really like Nana and respect her ambition and you highly dislike all the pathetic men who drool over her and the jealous women who bad-mouth her. When she has a difficult relationship you pity her. However, as you get closer and closer to the end you start to hate all the things she does, agree with the jealous women, feel bad for the poor men, and in turn despise her. It is only until you get closer to the end that you see that she has no heart, and all she lives for is to suck out everything materialistic from all the men who fall in love with her (which is a great many) and in turn suck out their souls. We praise Zola in the end for giving her exactly what she deserves.

Zola also does a lot of portraying of the corruption of the high class French in the mid-1800s. At first it seems very stable and good, but, like Nana, the further you get to the end the more corruption and malfunction there is.

I must say, the story really haunted me in a way after I finally finished reading it and I couldn't get my mind off it. But, does that show anything except that the book was an excellent read?

I didn't give it a full five star rating for my own reasons, mainly because the book didn't exactly suck me in and it took me a year to read. I understand it's probably because of lack of comprehension becuase in the end I couldn't put it down.

All in all, one of my favorites that I lend and recommend to all my friends. Enjoy.

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