A shrewd analysis of the real estate market but a lackluster fount of “spiritual intelligence.”
A real estate entrepreneur reflects on the principles of his success.
Debut author Flower grew up in Yonkers in the 1950s, the eldest of four brothers. When he was only 16 years old, his father suddenly died, compelling the author to take over the family’s funeral home despite his youth and lack of any background in the business. The experience was eye-opening, especially when neighborhood thugs squeezed money from his mother, a lesson in the merciless nature of business. In 1962, at 22, Flower decided to go out on his own and bought a cheap car and rented a basement apartment, trying his hand at real estate. His first six months were an abysmal failure: He made less than $60. But he realized that he was held back by his own fears and doubts and that a reconstructed worldview could pave a path to success: “The funny thing is that people say philosophy does not make you money, but I found that not to be true. In fact, my new philosophy was not only what would make me money in the future, but it also gave me substance and character.” By 1964, he was working in his own office, constructing his first building, and taking college courses. Flower eventually built such a sterling reputation that he was asked to teach courses on real estate at Seton College and West Point Academy. The author discusses not only the business strategies that helped him creatively adapt to a volatile real estate market, but also the foundational precepts of achievement in general, what he calls the “spirit of success.” Flower combines three genres—self-help, memoir, and business strategy—into one lucid work written in a self-assured but consistently breezy, congenial prose. His life is a genuinely memorable one, filled with both accomplishments and defeats, and the way he overcame the latter to have a surfeit of the former remains inspiring. In addition, while the book focuses on his professional activities, the author includes a candid account of more intimate challenges as well, including a bout with leukemia that nearly killed him. Still, the highlight of the volume is Flower’s expert discussion of the real estate industry and the numerous transformations it has undergone since the ’60s. His combination of practical experience in many sectors of the business and deep reflection on its historical permutations is sure to be a valuable resource to others getting started in real estate. But the self-help portion of the book largely issues vague and shopworn platitudes. The spirit of success, unsystematically presented, seems to amount to a process of self-reflection whereby fears are reinterpreted as opportunities for growth. When readers encounter a “field of tension,” the outer perimeter of their comfort zones, the author encourages them to press on and overcome the disbelief in oneself that generates hesitancy. Of course, this is inarguably good advice, but that’s largely because it’s so blandly commonplace.
A shrewd analysis of the real estate market but a lackluster fount of “spiritual intelligence.”Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 197
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Dogged original research and superb narrative skills come together in this gripping account of pitiless evil.
Greed, depravity, and serial murder in 1920s Oklahoma.
During that time, enrolled members of the Osage Indian nation were among the wealthiest people per capita in the world. The rich oil fields beneath their reservation brought millions of dollars into the tribe annually, distributed to tribal members holding "headrights" that could not be bought or sold but only inherited. This vast wealth attracted the attention of unscrupulous whites who found ways to divert it to themselves by marrying Osage women or by having Osage declared legally incompetent so the whites could fleece them through the administration of their estates. For some, however, these deceptive tactics were not enough, and a plague of violent death—by shooting, poison, orchestrated automobile accident, and bombing—began to decimate the Osage in what they came to call the "Reign of Terror." Corrupt and incompetent law enforcement and judicial systems ensured that the perpetrators were never found or punished until the young J. Edgar Hoover saw cracking these cases as a means of burnishing the reputation of the newly professionalized FBI. Bestselling New Yorkerstaff writer Grann (The Devil and Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession, 2010, etc.) follows Special Agent Tom White and his assistants as they track the killers of one extended Osage family through a closed local culture of greed, bigotry, and lies in pursuit of protection for the survivors and justice for the dead. But he doesn't stop there; relying almost entirely on primary and unpublished sources, the author goes on to expose a web of conspiracy and corruption that extended far wider than even the FBI ever suspected. This page-turner surges forward with the pacing of a true-crime thriller, elevated by Grann's crisp and evocative prose and enhanced by dozens of period photographs.
Dogged original research and superb narrative skills come together in this gripping account of pitiless evil.Pub Date: April 18, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-385-53424-6
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2017
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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