One of the leading political historians in Canada, John Richard English has had a multi-faceted career as an author, educator and politician. A professor of history at the University of Waterloo since 1971, he is currently seconded from the university to the Centre on International Governance Innovation of which he is founding executive director. In 2006, he published the first volume of the critically-acclaimed Citizen of the World: The Life of Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Recently, he has taken on the role of general editor of the Dictionary of Canadian Biography.

The Avie Bennett Historica Chair was established at York in 2004 by the Historica Foundation of Canada, endowed by Avie J. Bennett, York Chancellor Emeritus. Its purpose is to promote the study of Canada’s heritage and ensure the academic vitality of the discipline.

York University is the leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto, Canada’s most international city. The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 50,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as 200,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 11 faculties and 24 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges. York University is an autonomous, not-for-profit corporation.

For the first time, people can visit Canada's most ancient forest without leaving the comfort of their home, courtesy of new book by two University of Guelph researchers.

The Last Stand: A Journey Through the Ancient Cliff-Face Forest of the Niagara Escarpment was written by local author and photographer Peter Kelly, a U of G research associate, and Guelph Integrative Biology professor Doug Larson.

The book brings people into a vertical world previously experienced by few others. It explores an ancient forest of spectacular gnarled and stunted cedar trees has been growing for thousands of years on the vertical rock faces of the Niagara Escarpment, a 735-kilometre long series of cliffs that crisscrosses Southern Ontario from Niagara Falls to the Bruce Peninsula.

“There is nothing like it in Canada,” said Kelly, a member of U of G’s Cliff Ecology Research Group. “These cedar trees have been living on these cliffs for over 1,000 years including two trees that sprouted from seed before the year 700 A.D.”

The trees survive in one of the few remaining natural corridors in Ontario, despite intense development pressures, said Larson. Close to seven million people live within 100 kilometres of the Niagara Escarpment and its ancient trees.

“It’s such a cool story and a really exciting book,” Larson said.

“The oldest of the living trees began life shortly after the death of Mohammed, the founder of Islam and before Genghis Khan and the Viking colonization of North America.”

Helping to conserve this ancient forest through public awareness is the primary purpose of the book, Kelly and Larson said. In the book’s forward, Juno-Award winning musician and Niagara Escarpment activist Sarah Harmer makes a plea for the Escarpment’s protection.

“Once people have a good look at these remarkable trees, it will be difficult to argue against their protection,” Kelly said.

The book profiles the unique attributes of the Niagara Escarpment and eastern white cedar, the only tree species capable of persisting on the vertical cliffs. It also explores the importance of white cedar to the native peoples of central Canada and the first European explorers and settlers.

The Last Stand includes vivid first-hand accounts and more than 70 colour photographs that bring the remarkable discovery of this ancient forest to life. It’s available from Natural Heritage Books/Dundurn Group of Toronto.

The idea for the book came out of The Niagara Escarpment Tree Atlas Project, which Kelly and Larson launched in the late-90s with support from The Ivey Foundation, Global Forest Science and Ontario Parks.

WATERLOO - The Klondike Mystery, co- authored by University of Waterloo historian Ken Coates, will be the latest historical addition to the popular Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History website.

The Klondike Mystery website was launched May 24 in Dawson City, Yukon.

"The Klondike Gold Rush is perhaps the only event in Canadian history that is known around the world," says Coates, a professor of history and UW's dean of arts. "There is a great debate about who discovered the gold that touched off the most famous gold stampede in history."

"The website allows people to look at the primary documents and to explore the debates, questions and issues related to the discovery," Coates says. "Our project is based on the premise that students can be drawn into Canadian history and archival research through the enticement of solving historical mysteries."

Coates, who specializes in the history of the Yukon and the Canadian North, co-authored the Klondike Mystery project with long-time collaborator William Morrison, a professor of history at the University of Northern British Columbia.

The Klondike website is part of a national project providing high quality free materials to schools and universities in order to enhance the understanding of historical methods and the appreciation of Canadian history.

The project, based at the University of Victoria, the Université de Sherbrooke and the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, has created a series of instructional websites aimed at enhancing research strategy and critical-thinking skills among students.

About the Klondike Mystery

At first they didn't believe George Carmack, when in August 1896, he burst into a saloon in Fortymile loudly proclaiming that he had found gold lying "thick as cheese" further up the Yukon River. Then he tipped a spent shotgun shell and out poured the gold dust. But did George make the discovery that started the Klondike Gold Rush?

George, an American, had been prospecting with three First Nations people: his wife Kate, her brother Skookum Jim, and their nephew Dawson Charlie, on a creek suggested by Canadian Robert Henderson. For a century, controversy has swirled around the question of who deserves the credit for the discovery that set off the greatest gold rush in the history of the world and a turning point in Canadian history.

NEW YORK - His novel "The Kite Runner," about the troubled friendship of two Afghan boys, struck a chord with millions of readers but Khaled Hosseini says he felt part of the Afghan story was left untold -- the women's side.

"I went into this with a bit more of a mission than the first novel," Hosseini said of his new book "A Thousand Splendid Suns," which was published on Tuesday.

"The Kite Runner" was published in 2003, a time of high public interest in Afghanistan because of the U.S. invasion after the Sept. 11 attacks. It spent more than two years on the bestseller lists with more than 4 million copies now in print.

"That first novel was entirely populated by men, it was really a story about men and the friendship between men," Hosseini told Reuters in an interview. "The whole gender issue I had pretty much steered clear of in that novel."

In 2003 Hosseini, a physician who lives in the United States, returned to his native Afghanistan for the first time since 1976 on a two-week trip to see for himself how the country was faring after the toppling of the Taliban.

"Many of the things I saw and experienced in Kabul came back to me when I started writing this novel," Hosseini said.

The new book is the story of two women, Laila and Mariam, thrown together by forced marriages to the same man. Initially suspicious of each other, they forge a deep friendship that is told against the backdrop of three decades of Afghan history.

"In some senses they're inspired by the collective voice of the women that I met in Afghanistan back in 2003," he said.

"The issue of women is a very sensitive one in Afghanistan," he said. "(But) the things I talk about have been well documented, particularly when it comes to the fighting between the warlords and what the Taliban did to the people."

'PATRIARCHAL DESPOTISM'

Publishers Weekly magazine gave "A Thousand Splendid Suns" a coveted starred review, describing it as "powerful (and) harrowing."

"Hosseini gives a forceful but nuanced portrait of a patriarchal despotism where women are agonizingly dependent on fathers, husbands and especially sons, the bearing of male children being their sole path to social status," it said.

A movie of "The Kite Runner" is due for release later this year and Hosseini said discussions were in the early stages for the second book to be made into a film as well.

"In many ways Afghanistan still is very much a mysterious and enigmatic place to a lot of people," Hosseini said, adding that while his books were by no means history books, he was happy if they spark curiosity about Afghanistan in readers.

"I've always found that fiction has been a great way for me to learn about things," he said. "I learned more about the great depression from 'The Grapes of Wrath' than I did from reading any history book."

Hosseini said the Iraq war had distracted attention from Afghanistan, which was still struggling with huge problems such as illiteracy, healthcare, poor infrastructure and corruption.

"I landed in Kabul on 2003 on the very day that the war started in Iraq," he said.

"You could all but hear the collective groan break out in Kabul because there was a fear that when that war happened it would funnel attention and money and funds and assistance from Afghanistan into this potentially open-ended, big war.

"And to a large extent that's what's happened. Afghanistan is not a front page news story any more. Iraq is."

TORONTO - What three things would you want to have, going into a crisis news conference?

According to a new book, these might be: deep background on the issue, immediate reports from people directly involved, and consensus from your senior management team.

Crisis Communications: A Primer for Teams is written for CEOs and their PR, HR, IT, business continuity, and facilities managers. All of the above need to be available and on the same page during a crisis or disaster.

In 14 chapters and 135 subtopics the book covers roles, resources, processes and principles. There's a detailed breakdown of who does what during the critical first hour of a crisis. A PDF with bookmarked chapters and subtopics and live links to 220 URLs is available for download.

The book is to-the-point and focuses on useful information and processes. It helps busy managers understand their roles, develop resources, work out processes, and agree on principles. The agenda for preparedness develops. Every chapter has questions for discussion.

The first chapter cites the Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management on how, after 9/11, our critical infrastructures are under threat--what that means and the challenge it presents for leaders. The last chapter outlines a process for involving senior managers and giving the team a foothold. Organizations working on pandemic response plans will find much of the book useful.

Available in softcover, hardcover, and as an Adobe eBook. Readers can download the table of contents at topstory.ca. Just click on the book cover in the left column.

Author Al Czarnecki APR is an accredited public relations professional with 20 years of experience. His consulting practice is based in Toronto--www.topstory.ca.

“Canada has a new reason for pride. It was great good fortune
for her that the taking of Vimy ridge, for which the Allies had poured out so much of their blood, fell in the long run to her. April 9, 1917, will be in Canada’s history one of the great days, a day of glory, to furnish inspirations to her sons for generations.”

And indeed it has proven to be so.

But how much do we know about the Battle of Vimy Ridge after nine decades? How much of what we do know is accurate, and how much has taken on a distinctly rosy hue, a hint of hubris?

Laurier graduates Geoffrey Hayes (now a history professor at the University of Waterloo), Andrew Iarocci and Mike Bechthold (who both teach in Laurier’s history department), have together edited a new book on the famous battle, aptly titled, Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment.

Published by Wilfrid Laurier University Press and the Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies, Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment draws on the work of a new generation of historians who have delved deep into various archives and other sources to offer new perspectives, details and understanding of what remains a remarkable military achievement.

“This is a very fine collection and an important contribution to Canadian military history,” said noted Canadian historian Jack Granatstein. “The authors point to the importance of the battle at Vimy Ridge, but they do not go on a nationalistic rampage and this adds to the strength of the work.”

The book – priced at $38.95 – is being officially launched on Monday, April 9, at 7 p.m. in the Wilfrid Laurier University Senate and Board Chamber. The editors and several of the authors will be on hand to give brief presentations on the battle, and hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be served. There will also be a cash bar and the issuance of a rum ration to toast the memory of the men who fought at Vimy.

To be faster, leaders take time to reflect and focus. Slowing down sounds contradictory to working faster, but innovation often happens when you relax and lose track of time; that’s when your brain is in the “alpha” or “theta” states.

To be better, leaders stop focusing solely on gaining a competitive edge. Instead, they direct their energy on improving themselves, their team members, their organization, their industry, their customers and their communities. Leadership is no longer about ‘me,’ it’s about ‘we.’

“Not all leaders are visionary and not all leaders change the world for the better,” says Sloan. “My challenge to you is to be one of the leaders that are visionary and do change the world for the better.” Sloan’s challenge resonates loudly in an age when customers are demanding more accountability from companies. Leaders at some of the nation’s most recognizable brands, including Leo Burnett, Allstate and Rodale Press are taking notice and implementing Sloan’s principles in leadership development. By asking questions, slowing down and searching for better solutions for the workplace, customers and beyond, business leaders can develop more than just their careers; they can carve out an enduring legacy.

Thomas Friedman’s recent New York Times Bestselling book, The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century, asserts that the international economic playing field is now more level than it has ever been. As popular as the book may be, Friedman’s theories on globalization have brought critics out in droves.

“The world isn’t flat as a result of globalization,” says Peter Fingar, noted business expert and author of Extreme Competition: Innovation and the Great 21st Century Business Reformation (MK Press, 2006). “The world is tilted in favor of a fierce new breed of competitors.” These competitors exploit three billion low-paid workers in China, India and the former Soviet Union, countries that have recently adopted capitalism.

“These fierce new competitors are ready to engage you, your company, and your kids in extreme competition,” says Fingar. “They play hardball and dominate their industries. They’ll go to the ends of the earth to employ factors workers for 9 cents an hour and PhDs in science and technology for $20,000 a year. This global search for low-cost labor has already begun to damage, and may even cripple, America’s middle class.”

This epic change in traditional business strategies and assumptions has shaken up the way the world does business. The development of the Internet has eliminated time and distance considerations for workers and added fuel to the fire of global competition. Americans are reluctantly facing a shift of wealth and power to the East.

“The great dot-com crash of 2000 wasn’t the signal for the beginning of the end, it was a signal that we had reached the end of the beginning,” says Fingar. “The tinkering phase of the Internet was complete, and now it’s time to get on with the real transformation of business and society.”

Fingar stresses that this transformation is not something for us to worry about in the future. The time is now to deal with the reality of the global economy. “We are not on the brink of a great transition,” says Fingar. “We’ve already crossed the threshold to a new economic world order.”

Providing the framework and practical strategies needed for action, Extreme Competition acts as a survival guide in this new age of global competition and provides the insight needed to win. “We must be prepared now for extreme competition or lose our standing in the world economy and our standard of living,” he says. Fingar’s message serves as a penetrating wake-up call for governments, businesses and individuals everywhere.

WATERLOO - The New Quarterly, a national literary magazine, will once again sponsor themed events to support this year's One Book, One Community selection, Joseph Boyden's novel Three Day Road.

One thread of his story relates to Canadian aboriginal culture in the tumultuous years of the early 1900s. Another thread takes two Ojibwa friends -- who are highly accurate snipers -- to the killing fields of Ypres and the Somme in the First World War. The story is narrated in the aftermath of these events over the course of a three-day journey by canoe.

The One Book, One Canoe trip will be the first of two events sponsored by The New Quarterly, which explore themes presented in the book. The magazine is based at St. Jerome's University on the University of Waterloo campus.

One Book, One Canoe will bring participants closer to the journey Xavier Bird makes with his shaman aunt Niska, after his return from the battlefield. They will travel by canoe from Glen Morris to Paris, Ont., on the Grand River, a river with much heritage of its own to celebrate. There will be stops along the way for readings, discussion and lunch.

The day will start at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 3 with a shuttle from Grand Experiences, outfitters in Paris, to canoes in Glen Morris. Participants should be back in Paris around 3:30 to 4 p.m. They can then go to a local Paris pub for a final reading and discussion, along with a beverage.

The cost for the canoe trip will be $60. The price includes canoe rental, a box lunch (with vegetarian options) and four experienced Ontario Recreational Canoeing Association-licensed guides from Grand Experiences. Directions to Grand Experiences can be found at www.grand-experiences.com and on the back of the tickets. A total of 40 tickets will be available.

The Songs the River Sings, a celebratory house concert with singer/songwriter James Gordon on Sunday, June 11, will be the second event of the summer. It will begin at 5 p.m. with music and readings on the banks of the Nith River.

The Nith is considered a beautiful setting in which to hear excerpts from Boyden's poignant and magical novel, explore the role of aboriginals in what was to have been the war to end all wars and listen to Gordon's haunting Songs the River Sings from his latest CD, a tribute to Canadian Heritage Rivers.

The concert and readings will be followed by a light dinner. Participants should bring their own lawn chairs. Tickets for the event must be reserved and a donation hat will be passed around at the end of the night to cover the costs of the evening and raise funds for The New Quarterly. A total of 50 tickets will be available.

Tickets may be purchased/reserved through Words Worth Books at 519-884-2665 or The New Quarterly at 519-884-8111 ext. 8290, or by emailing adverts at newquarterly.net.

Deloitte partners Anthony Grnak and John Hughes, and award-winning writer Douglas Hunter chose 10 exceptional businesses that exemplify success from among the more than 500 winners of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies program, this country’s most prestigious business award. With perspective provided by Deloitte, and commentary from top-ranked Queen’s School of Business, Building the Best provides practical insight into achieving business excellence through anecdote, industry-specific analysis as well as candid and revealing interviews with founders, owners and senior executives.

“Management theory is only theory until you see it in practice,” says Deloitte author and national leader of the Best Managed program, John Hughes. “By taking readers inside the executive suites and boardrooms of exceptional companies nation-wide, we’ve been able to demonstrate how results are achieved in the real world.”

Each company’s story illustrates a key component of the three vital building blocks to sustainable growth: strategy, capability, and commitment. The companies featured provide a fascinating window into the industries in which they operate. Readers learn what it takes to craft a prize-winning cabernet sauvignon, build a major museum, create a dazzling circus performance, carve out a dominant niche in the Internet market, and be first to market with children’s products.

“Business history is filled with stories of overnight successes and ‘one-hit’ wonders, but real success is built on sustainable growth,” explains Anthony Grnak, author and Deloitte partner. “These companies are some of the best we’ve seen at creating sustainable growth and through their stories, readers learn how these strategies for success can be applied to any business.”

“Learning by example is one of the most powerful tools to help companies get ahead in business. Building the Best delivers real-life lessons in how enterprises can break away from the pack,” says Ron Joyce, co-founder and CEO of Tim Hortons, one of Canada’s greatest business successes.

Whether the reader is a business student, corporate manager, senior corporate executive, or entrepreneur at any stage of the growth curve, Building the Best informs, inspires, and instructs. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in long-term business success.

Among the most important “Do’s & Don’ts,” Dr. Hackett says:

· Never make a donation on the phone or over the Internet, but request a written solicitation that includes the group’s registration information within your State of residence, and proof of accountability.

· Where a third-party telemarketer is involved, written follow-up is even more important, along with a contact number for the charity group to ascertain the validity of the telemarketing firm.

· Never provide credit card information over the phone or online, and never donate cash.

· Be particularly wary of any alleged non-profit with a name that closely resembles that of a more established charity. That happened widely with both Tsunami and Katrina relief efforts.

An important part of Dr. Hackett’s message addresses our need to realize that millions of American children are hungry; thousands of men, women and children are homeless and living on the street; and more families are living in poverty than at any time in our history.

“To make true change, we must take care of those in our own backyards first,” she emphasizes. “Helping others brings much more to your life than you could ever give in dollars alone. There are inexpensive and powerful ways each of us can help, starting with an online search of the various types and names of social service agencies in your community.”

Dr. Hackett then suggests choosing one or more groups that desperately need every bit of help imaginable. Included are: Helping seniors living in poverty; reaching out to the homeless; feeding the hungry through soup kitchens, food pantries and sandwich lines; shining your light at low-income day-care centers and schools; and meeting the special needs of women and children residing in domestic violence shelters.

“Each one of us can help in many ways,” she says. “Everyone should have their own individualized ‘Make a Difference’ plan. This will help you understand your ‘need,’ and ultimately lead you to create the personal success and satisfaction you crave regarding your place in the world, and ultimately toward making a difference in your community--your world--that is well placed and successful!”

In ASSASSINATION AT SARAJEVO, Allan M. Loosigian recounts the 1914-18 war with irony and black humor. To those reviewers who have taken him to task for treating the appalling carnage and futile heroism with cynical levity, Loosigian says in rebuttal, “The alleged statesmen and vainglorious brass hats who instigated and prosecuted that obscene calamity deserve all the scorn and ridicule I can heap upon them. Most of them falsified their war memoirs. What does that tell you?”

This is a fast-paced novel that traces a fine line between historical fact and fancy. The principal villains and victims are all there: the prototypical Bosnian suicide bombers who set off a war in waiting; the aesthetic chief of the German general staff who suffered a nervous collapse during the first critical battle; the lecherous Siberian monk who held the czar and czarina of Russia (as well as the many devout ladies of their court) in the palm of his sanctifying hand; the idealistic American president who refused to compromise with his Senate antagonists and lost everything he believed in and fought for.

A later president who commanded an artillery battery on that war’s Western Front, Harry S. Truman, once observed, “The only thing new under the sun is the history you haven’t read.”  Is it all happening again? Read ASSASSINATION AT SARAJEVO and decide for yourself.

If you've always dreamed of working for yourself, former Apprentice standout Wes Moss suggests the perfect location for your venture--and a few tips for getting started.

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. --Winston Churchill

Chicago, IL (November 2005)--Here's another take on Churchill's famous quote: a pessimist looks at a flood-ravaged city and sees only a flood-ravaged city; an optimist looks at that same city and sees the opportunity of a lifetime. Wes Moss, former Apprentice standout and staunch promoter of entrepreneurship, says it's time to start thinking like an optimist. While large New Orleans-rooted companies may be reluctant to return to the Big Easy, risk-takers who've always wanted to start their own business should find the city particularly attractive right now.

"On one hand, New Orleans is a tough place to do business," says Moss, author of the new book Starting from Scratch: Secrets from 21 Ordinary People Who Made the Entrepreneurial Leap (Dearborn Trade Publishing, November 2005, ISBN: 1-4195-2106-3, $22.00). "Housing is scarce, schools are closed, other cities are working hard to lure dislocated companies to move their headquarters to more comfortable ground. But on the other hand, a city that's starting over is inherently ripe with opportunity. Someone's going to be there when the city surges back to life . . . why shouldn't it be you?"

Moss says he understands why native-to-New-Orleans corporations have headed for higher (or at least drier) ground and why they're not in a hurry to return. They have obligations to meet, procedures to follow, and workers to house--workers with kids who have to go to school somewhere. But agile start-ups with few (if any) employees are far more likely to survive and thrive in a city without a solid, well-established infrastructure. Indeed, they'd be building said infrastructure.

If you have an entrepreneurial streak or an idea for a new Gulf Region company--or, preferably, both--Moss offers you the following tips:

· Get back to the basics. Think supply and demand. There are certain things that people will always need: i.e., food, drink, clothing, shelter, and communication. For these necessities, the federal government is providing billions of dollars for businesses willing to provide these services. Perhaps there is a way for you to transform these financial resources into the trappings of new lives for returning New Orleans residents--and make a few dollars for yourself in the process.

· First, consider the obvious: construction. We all know building will be an enormous effort in the region. Perhaps your niche lies in this arena. Are you good with a hammer and nails? Do you have what it takes to pull together a work force and motivate the people around you to help in the rebuilding process? Can you buy and sell properties? Arrange mortgage financing? Provide cleaning or landscaping services?

· Next, explore services that support the rebuilding efforts. Building crews are going to be working around the clock; who is going to provide the light every night? Who will provide 24-hour food and drink for the workers? If you have always wanted to cook and serve food for a living, you're in luck. The Gulf Region is going to need coffee at every corner, all-night bars and restaurants, and yes, entertainment for the influx of new people now working to rebuild the area.

· Finally, consider the long-term picture. A city with the vibrancy and character of New Orleans will rebound. When it does, someone will need to provide the goods and services all communities need: childcare centers, beauty shops, car dealerships, bakeries, grocery stores. Someone will need to operate upscale hotels for the tourists who will surely come to see the new New Orleans. If you'd like to be that "someone," stake your claim now. If you wait 'til it's "safe" to start your operation, a different someone will beat you to the punch . . . guaranteed.

· Master the art of the HUNT. In Starting from Scratch, Moss outlines a four-step mode of operation that all successful entrepreneurs follow. He calls it "the HUNT."

Harness what you have. First, identify your inherent skills and talents. Second, identify a tangible product, industry, or trade you are proud to be associated with. Put them together and you've got a business venture. "Don't just randomly say, for instance, 'I think New Orleans could use a nightclub' if you don't absolutely love working with the public," advises Moss. "If you're not passionate about what you're setting out to do, it won't work. Period."

Underestimate your obstacles. Here's where the aforementioned optimism comes into play. Yes, many things can go wrong in any new business, and one launched in a city that was recently under water is no exception. No matter. Define your vision and mentally bypass the obstacles so you can maintain the focus you're going to need.

Notice your network. There are probably plenty of people around you who can help you realize your vision. Ask them for help. Sell them your vision of a thriving new business helping New Orleans spring back to life. Hey, it's an exciting prospect, and if you talk it up enough you're bound to find people who catch that excitement and want to be a part of it all.

Take the first step. "You can theorize and daydream all day, but without action there is no HUNT," says Moss. "Yes, there are a million reasons not to change, not to quit your job, not to take a chance. But consider this: sooner or later, someone is going to step in and fill that void that your idea is meant to fill. Imagine that you're watching a story on the news about someone else who got to New Orleans first and is living your dream. How do you feel? If you're seized with regret, take it as a sign--and do something."

"In times of adversity, leaders always emerge," muses Moss. "It seems to be a law of nature. Good is born out of bad; order arises out of chaos. Someone suggested to me that maybe it's opportunistic to seek to benefit from tragedy. I don't see it that way at all. If you're providing an honest service and helping a great city get back on its feet, you're doing something truly valuable for everyone involved. If you get to actually work every day at doing something you love to do, well, that's just icing on the cake."

About the Author:

Wes Moss "bootstrapped" his first ventures when he was in his teens, turning his businesses into award-winning, prosperous enterprises. Moss appeared as a candidate on NBC's popular show The Apprentice with Donald Trump. A graduate in economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Moss built a substantial investment practice and went on to become a vice president at one of the world's largest investment firms after just five years. He is also a Certified Financial Planner™ and along with his partners manages more than $100 million in investments for high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, and corporations. For more information, visit wesmoss.com.

About the Book:

Starting from Scratch: Secrets from 21 Ordinary People Who Made the Entrepreneurial Leap (Dearborn Trade Publishing, November 2005, ISBN: 1-4195-2106-3, $22.00) is available at neighborhood and online booksellers or by calling (800) 245-2665.

Dearborn Trade Publishing, a Kaplan Professional Company, is the nation's premier trainer and information provider for business and financial leaders committed to profiting from breakthrough ideas. Kaplan Professional provides licensing and continuing education training, certification, professional development courses, and compliance tracking for financial services, legal, IT, and real estate professionals and corporations. Kaplan Professional is a unit of Kaplan, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO).

The fact is, nifty logos and cool websites and “cutting-edge” advertising don’t really work anymore when it comes to improving the bottom line. Many companies spend millions to establish their identity, often to no avail.

Enter: marketing guru Allan Gorman and his ‘Brand Delight’ marketing approach. He’s laid out a transformation of traditional marketing practices in his book, Briefs for Building Better Brands: Tips, Parables and Insights for Market Leaders. Praised as “brilliant,” “stimulating,” and “witty” by renowned marketing leaders, Gorman’s book – a collection of his popular columns – is perhaps the first thoroughly original marketing primer to come around in years.

But rather than a complex theorem and marketing technique treatise, Briefs for Building Better Brands is more of a return to basic principles many companies have forgotten or never understood, premised on ‘Brand Delight” and creating delightful experiences for customers.

“Many companies still have the mindset that a brand is something you make though promotion and packaging,” says Gorman. “But while these elements are important, an actual brand is created by the public’s attitudes and experiences.”

Consider Gorman’s philosophy a twist on the ‘Golden Rule.’

“The primary key is to put yourself into the customer’s shoes and find out what does, or can ‘delight’ or thrill them,” adds Gorman. “A company needs to do unto customers better than they would do unto themselves. Identify what really can make them happy with your product or service, translate their wishes into the right story, and then deliver an experience that’s delightful. If you make your customer happy, they’ll share the news with others and spark word-of-mouth awareness, which in turn leads to powerful branding.”

Some of the ‘Brand Delight’ points in Gorman’s book include:

Why changing your business focus from making a profit to creating long-term customers is essential to success.

Penetrating the ‘noise barrier’ – Discover how to breakthrough resistance to sales approaches by providing meaningful and useful information.

How over-delivering on expectations creates delight in customers.

Misconceptions of ‘branding’ – why it really is all about the story your customers will tell to others about a product or service.

Why a bit of bragging, action and over-delivery are so important to branding.

Aligning packaging, advertising and publicity for maximum effectiveness.

Why the mindset of a company’s employees is so crucial to ultimate success.

“Branding is a multi-layered process, but really not a complicated one,” notes Gorman. “It’s starts with turning your thinking around and focusing on creating delight among specific customers.”

Briefs for Building Better Brands is written in Gorman’s trademark style; straightforward, non-preachy, and without technical jargon or tedious theories. True to his Brand Delight philosophy, it relays information in a way people like to receive it -- to create a reading experience they’ll find delight in.

“I want to appeal to the emotions of my readers – just as effective marketing should – with a book that offers a better way of marketing and provides easy to implement strategies,” adds Gorman.

Allan Gorman is a market leadership advisor who has worked in creative capacities at some of the world’s largest advertising agencies, before starting his own company in 1987. He is the recipient of over 400 industry awards including a coveted Gold Lion from the Cannes Film Festival. His company, Brandspa, specializes in crafting effective marketing and branding strategies for small to medium sized companies, so that even firms with limited budgets can attain status as the leading brand.

Briefs for Building Better Brands is available in bookstores and through online booksellers.