Lonnie Pacelli's Blog, page 43
May 17, 2020
Free 5/20-21: From Good to Good Enough-Get More Done By Knowing When to Stop
Free 5/20-21: From Good to Good Enough- Get More Done by Knowing When to StopGet it at https://amzn.to/2OU6v4L
#freebook #leadership #kindle #kindlefire #ebooks #ebook #Kindlefreebooks #Kindledeals #FREE #mustread #goodreads #greatreads #freebie #freebies #kindlebook #ad #teamwork
May 14, 2020
The Autistic Brain: Helping Different Kinds of Minds Succeed
Summary:An indepth view of neuroimaging and genetic research, their link to behavior of those both neurotypical and autistic, and how to help those on the autism spectrum better succeed in life.
Is it insightful? 5 Stars
Deep analysis of how the brains of neurotypical and those on the autism spectrum differ. Book examines cause-effect relationships such as how Grandin’s elongated left ventricle extends into her parietal cortex, which is associated with working memory, which explains her difficulty with short-term memory.
Is it creative? 5 Stars
Great use of stories about both Grandin and others she knows in the autism arena. The stories make for an easier understanding of some very difficult medical and technical concepts. Also very clever use of analogies, such as how Grandin describes parts of the brain using terms like CEO, VPs, and workers.
Is the well written? 5 Stars
Read in about five hours, just because there is so much technical and medical information to absorb. Great balance of facts and data with stories and examples using clear language. Only minor ding is that chapter headings aren’t hyperlinked back to the table of contents.
Is it a page turner? 5 Stars
Great progression of understanding the brain from a physical perspective and how it manifests into behaviors and social issues/stigmas surrounding autism. Grandin’s writing voice is well heard throughout the book, making it almost as if she were sitting with the reader talking about the book.
Overall Rating: 5 Stars
May 11, 2020
Book Review: From Longing to Belonging
Summary:An approach to inclusion of people with disabilities and mental health conditions for faith-based organizations.
Is it insightful? 5 Stars
Great perspective on what inclusion means and how it’s comprised of both a Structure of Inclusion (activities and actions that foster inclusion) and Spirit of Belonging (connections and relationships with people which make all feel valued members of a community). While there is some specific applicability to faith-based organizations, many of the concepts apply to any organization.
Is it creative? 5 Stars
Uses lots of stories to underscore key points, including stories about the author’s son who is a person with Attention Deficit Disorder and Aperger Syndrome. Book makes great use of sample forms and assessment questions to help bridge the gap from theoretical to practical application.
Is the well written? 3 Stars
Read in about three hours. Book not at all adapted for kindle reading. Words hyphenated in paperback, i.e. accomplish-ments, left hyphenated in kindle version even though there was no line break requiring hyphenation. No page break or hyperlinked chapters. Book references charts on specific page numbers (which don’t apply to kindle) or references charts that don’t exist. Book also references a workbook however the workbook doesn’t exist on Amazon nor is there a hyperlink from the kindle book to purchase the workbook. Lost opportunity to cross-sell the workbook.
Is it a page turner? 3 Stars
Good interesting facts in the book, but other than in the first chapter where the author talks about her son any trace of a writer’s voice is absent. As the book went on it became more and more a dry read.
Overall Rating: 4 Stars
May 10, 2020
Free 5/13-14: Freud and the Small Business Owner
Free 5/13-14: Freud and the Small Business OwnerGet it at https://amzn.to/2OVjQd8
#freebook #entrepreneur #startup #kindle #kindlefire #Kindlefreebooks #Kindledeals #FREE #mustread #goodreads #greatreads #freebie #freebies #kindlebook #ebooks #ebook
May 3, 2020
Free 5/6-7: Don't Throw in the Towel, Throw Down the Gauntlet!
Free 5/6-7: Don't Throw in the Towel, Throw Down the Gauntlet!Get it at https://amzn.to/2DuT7SC
#freebook #leadership #kindle #kindlefire #ebooks #ebook #Kindlefreebooks #Kindledeals #FREE #mustread #goodreads #greatreads #freebie #freebies #kindlebook #ad #teamwork
April 30, 2020
Book Review: Out of My Mind
Summary:A fictional story about Melody Brooks, a young girl with Cerebral Palsy who is unable to communicate on her own and dismissed as mentally challenged. Through the use of a Medi-Talker, those around her are able to understand how intelligent she really is.
Is it insightful? 5 Stars
Good window into Cerebral Palsy and dispels the assumption that just because someone can’t speak it doesn’t mean he/she isn’t smart. Underscores the importance of society to make the effort to better understand someone who cannot communicate.
Is it creative? 5 Stars
Very creatively embeds lessons about Cerebral Palsy into a fictional story, as told from a first-person account as if the reader could read Melody’s mind. The first time the Medi-Talker said “I love you” to Melody’s parents was a great example of how the Medi-Talker opens a window for someone who cannot communicate on his/her own.
Is the well written? 5 Stars
Read in about three hours. Easy, conversational reading style without trying to use big words to dazzle (or confuse) the reader. Author makes good use of chapter hyperlinking in table of contents but would want to see hyperlinking from chapter back to table of contents. Really liked how author used bold font to indicate words that Melody typed on her Medi-Talker or pointed to on her communication board.
Is it a page turner? 3 Stars
An interesting, believable and compelling read through the first ¾ of the book. Without revealing spoilers, the ending, while unexpected, just didn’t seem to fit and was almost as if the author was trying too hard to shock the reader. I would have ended the story with more of an inspirational message and one where there was a more obvious change in some of the characters. I also would have eliminated the event towards the end involving Melody’s sibling. It felt disjointed and didn’t add anything to the story.
Overall Rating: 4 Stars
April 26, 2020
Free 4/29-30: Crush Those Risks and Issues!
Free 4/29-30: Crush Those Risks and Issues!Get it at https://amzn.to/2S2E073
#freebook #leadership #kindle #kindlefire #ebooks #ebook #Kindlefreebooks #Kindledeals #FREE #mustread #goodreads #greatreads #freebie #freebies #kindlebook #ad #teamwork #projectmanagement
April 23, 2020
Book Review: Positive Parenting for Autism
Positive Parenting for Autism provides an overview of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and how ABA can be effectively used to help a child overcome behavioral challenges.Is it insightful? 5 Stars
Very good presentation of ABA concepts and techniques. It’s clear the author has mastery of subject matter.
Is it creative? 4 Stars
Good examples and case studies throughout the book which reinforce the concepts. Nothing exciting or unique about how concepts are presented. The ABA concepts, while helpful for parenting a child with autism, are not exclusive to autism; they are good overall parenting techniques.
Is the well written? 5 Stars
Read in about two hours. Author communicates clearly and concisely. Each chapter has takeaways at the end to reinforce key concepts. Good formatting for Kindle, though when hyperlinks are clicked within a paragraph there is no way to get back to where you were reading.
Is it a page turner? 3 Stars
Book covers a lot of turf; however the author’s writing voice is non-existent, which made the reading much less interesting. The author expresses no empathy, encouragement, or desire to connect with the reader, who is most likely dealing with a difficult parenting situation. This is underscored in a number of statements in last chapter telling the reader how much he/she has learned as result of reading the book. How does the author know what the reader learned?
Overall Rating: 4 Stars
April 19, 2020
Book Review: Fundamentals of Disability Inclusion
Provides an overview of different disability categories, do’s and don’ts when interacting with someone with a disability, societal issues, and creating a welcoming environment.Is it insightful? 5 Stars
Good statistics on the prevalence of disabilities in society. Outlines seven practical themes in facilitating relationships with people with disabilities. Great tips on how to interact with those with a disability, what to say, and what to do.
Is it creative? 5 Stars
Book is chock full of examples and real-life applications, i.e. how Walgreens distribution centers employ an average 35% of people with disabilities. Examples do a great job of reinforcing key concepts.
Is the well written? 4 Stars
Read in about two hours. Author communicates concepts simply and concisely. There were some formatting issues on Kindle that could have been resolved by simple proofreading.
Is it a page turner? 4 Stars
Book covered a lot of turf on disability inclusion. As a reader I was looking forward to what angle the author was going to cover next. What would have made it better is if the author’s personality came through in her writing. It read too much like a research paper; couldn’t really discern the author’s voice.
Overall Rating: 4 Stars
Free 4/22-23: Can You Make a 2AM Meeting?
Free 4/22-23: Can You Make a 2AM Meeting?Get it at https://amzn.to/2S2DQMZ
#freebook #leadership #kindle #kindlefire #ebooks #ebook #Kindlefreebooks #Kindledeals #FREE #mustread #goodreads #greatreads #freebie #freebies #kindlebook #ad #teamwork
