Learning about others driven passion.
351888
Oh my goodness, what an awesome book! Love the fact that there are such diverse cultures within the deaf and hard of hearing community. Karen captured that in this book, as every child and teenager in the school setting have something to look forward to. To be able to inspire them as well as the parents. Great read and would recommend to everyone to buy this! I love the diverse group of people you've written about and how you ended it "Now about You..."
763264
A unique cultural and personal memoir of growth from child into a strong adult.  Applying lessons experienced lets Ms. Hallinan become the passionate teacher she is. May her journey continue to be joyful and inspire others.
3829421
As one of many contributors to this book, I must admit some bias, but when I purchased my copy, I was most pleasantly surprised by the wisdom and depth of feeling that the (other) contributors demonstrated in their passionate expressions of the meaning of life. Nicolae Tanase asked about 1000 people to share their thoughts and ideas. The result is a meaningful exploration of that most-human topic. Responses range from bits of poetry to insightful prose. I was happy to see that some of the contributors are people whose paths have crossed mine over the last few years and whose opinions I value.
3012483
It's amazing what one can discover about himself when forced to see through someone else's eyes. A condensed world expands with interpretation.
2291623
This is a fascinating story of lives intertwined, of passion and family. The ties that bind us, despite the perils of living in a world where things are not always fair and just. The characters bring the reader to to thoughts of one's own family and struggles. Excellent read!
2192863
This was a fascinating book to read. One of the best I have read in the last five years. It really makes you think about yourself and the environments you perform the best in. I'll forever look at people with a deeper appreciation for their personal preferences on the environment they prefer to work in and how much or how little they prefer to interact with others. Introversion is not a curse. It is simply a personality preference to be understood and appreciated.
1240771
I think this is one of more interesting motivational books I've read this year. When I saw that this book doesn't try to coddle me into a sense of well being like many of its ilk do nowadays, I naturally continued reading. Chapter one opens with this quote by Joseph Wan:

"Just because you are born gifted or talented, that doesn't mean that good things will just come to you. Nothing will be given to you or fall to you from heaven."

After which it goes into the "Why positive thinking is not enough" bit. Now, this is my kind of motivation.

The author interviewed over two hundred the most successful people in the world. Click on the preview to see the names - you'd be sure to recognize some of them. And some might be a surprise - just regular people who made their mark by finding their determination and enthusiasm. These people are not only successful business -men and -women. There are public servants, elected officials, inventors, public figures, scientists, people who started charities, etc.

This is not a list of interviews, however. The author did try his best to distill the essence behind these successes. The book also includes plenty of personal stories that show how these people got where they are now, which are an entertaining read - one can see the human side of many well-known achievers.

My personal favorite story is that of Trevor Baylis - an old man who invented Freeplay radios. My favorite quote from the author:

"Action doesn't just speak louder than words, it speaks louder than everything."

One minor formatting criticism - since it's a Kindle book, it will benefit from clickable links and clickable table of contents. It's just my personal quirk. Otherwise, the book is well formatted.

I think the author is someone whom I would call a "Success Enthusiast." While reading, I saw how serious he is about collecting information, trying to come up with conclusions, and I could feel his enthusiasm for what he is doing. The result is an easy to read, well structured, and actually entertaining book for the reader to draw inspiration from. It gets my recommendation.
241760
In the opening chapters we are introduced to an athlete driven by success.  Someone with an inflated self-serving ego who was obstinate, insulting and ruthlessly competitive.  His mouth had no gatekeeper to prevent the insolent, unkind remarks he hurled at others.
Then came a diagnosis of cancer.  It jolted him into a new reality; one where other people shared an importance that he held exclusively for himself.  Reading about his cure and transformation were both encouraging and inspiring.  After  the cure he expressed his gratitude by serving others unselfishly and magnimously.
On a different, more entertaining note, I really enjoyed reading about the Tour de France.
At the book's conclusion, I felt Armstrong should be awarded an honorary degree in philosophy from a distinguished university.  His learning experience, which he shares through his candid autobiography is anything but abstract.  It is life altering.
Lance Armstrong and Sally Jenkins have written a tour de force.  I give it high marks for content and style.  Reading each page felt like having a personal conversation, except my comments to Lance went unheard.  I look forward to a sequel.
4734956
This book highlights an important interpersonal lesson about sharing and it's role in making and keeping positive relationships with others.
843298
Peter Georgescu gives us insights drawn from his own long experience. This is a passionate, book, full of humanity and vision.
2880280
If you are involved in any human endeavor where people work together to accomplish goals, this best-seller is worth your time.  Recall, Jim Collins co-authored a previous best-seller, Built to Last, on why some businesses lose and why some win big. This new 5-year study examines how good companies become great companies, but the findings easily apply to schools, churches, political groups, etc. The book examines old "success" clich&eacute;s and reveals fresh insights on what constitutes resultful leadership. It explodes many popular management cult myths and gets to the human elements that  build a successful organization.
Some rather uncommon CEO characteristics of new-look leaders: They are self-effacing, reserved, even shy and possess a great deal of genuine humility; no big egos here. They don't try to manage change or motivate people. They are driven to produce sustained results. They are ready at any time to confront the brutal-truth facts of their organization with steadfast faith they will prevail
The companies picked for the spotlight have an interesting people culture. If you paid them a visit, you would be struck by the evidence of self-discipline, and the absence of an in-your-face bureaucracy.  Employees are picked because they are already self-disciplined; they were hired because those who hired them know  that if you hire people who are already self-disciplined, they don't need to be "managed." Guided and taught, maybe, but not tightly managed. In such a company, there is plenty of arguing and
debate in pursuit of the best answers, but after the disagreement, everybody gets behind the decision.
Winning companies create a climate where truth is heard. The people love what they do partly because they love the people they work with. They know you can't manufacture passion or motivate people to feel passionate; you can only discover what ignites passion.  Rule by bureaucracy goes away if you have the right people.
Other leadership tidbits:
 -A "stop doing the wrong things" list, is more important than a "to do" list.
-The author found no links between executive compensation and the process
of going from good to great. Compensation was used to get and keep the right people.
-The good-to-great companies were able to identify every item of cost, income
  and investment with the single person responsible for that item.
-Ten of the eleven CEOs  came from within their own organization.
-When in doubt about a potential new hire, don't hire. Keep looking.
The findings and conclusions in this fine work indicate clearly the need to rethink how we go about organizing people to insure the success of any endeavor. Many old "leadership" clich&eacute;s don't apply.
3577659
It is one thing to be successful. Quite another to be truly passionate about one's work. And yet another to have the ability to share that enthusiasm with others. In "A Passion for Winning" Aaron Cushman has done all three. He teaches by the example of his fine work and by his strong desire to have others follow in his footsteps. This book is great for anyone who desires a career in communications - or who needs a boost of confidence to jump-start a stalled career. (Review by Marion E. Gold - author of "Personal Publicity Planner: A Guide to Marketing YOU" and "TOP COPS: Profiles of Women in Command)
2047880
A good sampler of the varied and colorful people that make the journey memorable; however, I would also like to have learned more about the author's passion for riding, as he has cultivated a great many friends from past tour adventures to write another book about bike "networking"--clearly this support network made his journey something to look forward two upon retirement after a career in firefighting. Worthwhile reading in prep for one's America tour, if that is on the bucket list.
3294824
Simply amazing.  This book is for ANYONE who enjoys learning and loving other humans!
3782822
Growing up in an Asian society, children were always taught not to talk or share too much of their own opinions while adults were talking. Being humble is considered a key to showing mature behavior. Most Asians admire how American kids speak their minds without much hesitation. And, a related issue in the context of the competitions of society, individuals have to conquer their fear of public speaking - requiring, to some degree, an assertive nature. But, we also understand the need for people to only talk, raising their particular point(s) in the right place and time.

A clear line between the introvert and extrovert is diminished to me. I agree with the premise that, individuals with a great professional reputation or standing, unique idea or special position can and should talk about their specialties with confidence and not be shy. In fact, in recent years, I've also observed many young people in the context of their work and studies in Asia are becoming less shy as they've acquired more experience with the competitions of work and society in general. But I also appreciate the ethical and philosophical tenets of Confucianism are still being respected and that is how we value the interaction of people and ideas - and their presentation - in harmony.

This book definitely helped me to contemplate the characteristics of introverted people and relations with them, while prompting the reflection to know more about myself. I certainly can understand the author's passion for the topic and their comprehensive study from diverse perspectives.
4205836
This book is good reading for those who seek to better understand the dynamics of the mind. It explores one's development from the perspectives of self, family, children and community. Complex relationships are are discussed in basic terms that are easy to follow and embrace. It is a short yet powerful book - filled with inspiration to seek greater knowledge.
998373
The author is obviously passionate about helping others and does that by educating the leaders of non-profits on how to connect with others who will support their work. This is not begging, this is connecting resources to good works which is a win-win for everyone involved. Good insight and helpful tips throughout to stay genuine.