PUBLISHER: BALLANTINE BOOKS
PRICE: RM48
SOME books leave readers with a feeling of exhilaration at its
conclusion. Other books inspire, encourage, motivate or even frighten
readers.
Then there are books that leave their readers in tears, and The Railway
Man is one such book. It is about a young Englishman who found himself in
Malaya just before the outbreak of the Second World War. His experiences
as a soldier and then as a prisoner of war in Malaya, Singapore and
Thailand left psychological scars so deep that it took almost half a
century to heal.
Eric Lomax's gut-wrenching story was written as a balm to heal his own
soul. Lomax was one of the tens of thousands of British and Australian
soldiers who found themselves living out the war years behind barbed wire.
In Lomax's case, his PoW experiences led him to work on the infamous
Burma-Siam Railway and then sent him straight to hell. The Death Railway
as it was called was responsible for the deaths of thousands of war
prisoners. The writer's survival from such an ordeal is in itself a
miracle. But the core of Lomax's horrifying wartime experiences is the
almost unbelievable torture by the Japanese Kempeitai. Beaten by the
Japanese military with pick-axe handles for hours until his arms and hips
were broken, Lomax miraculously survived, only to be later subjected to
several rounds of water torture. In the midst of all that unimaginable
pain, Lomax was denied the luxury of death.
He recounted that two of his army friends were also beaten in much the
same way. Their mangled bodies were left out in the hot sun for days.
Somehow they survived, much to the surprise of their torturers. However,
most of them eventually died but not Lomax, who returned to England, got
married shortly afterwards and settled down to a mundane career. But the
hell from which he escaped followed him. Decades later, he would wake up
in the middle of the night screaming. Each time, reliving the agonies of
prison torture and visions of friends dying horrible deaths.
Wondrously, this book is not about retribution but about forgiveness and
courage. Decades later when most of the world have forgotten about the
war, Lomax carried with him the image of one man who came to symbolise the
cruelty of the enemy. The enemy was Nagase Takashi, the interpreter who
was assigned to the Kanburi prison camp where Lomax was held. Lomax hated
his tormentor with a bitterness that turned him into a walking shadow of
fear and self-doubt.
Nagase was the enemy who was constantly in Lomax's presence when he was
questioned and tortured. Call it a miracle of fate, but the two men
emerged from the war, physically intact but victims of painful memories.
In his unbridled account of his PoW experiences, Eric Lomax has
unchained himself from a lifetime of pain, sorrow, misery and nightmares.
This book is as much about the healing power of forgiveness as it is about
the miracles of compassion and love. It is one of the most heart-rending
accounts of wartime experiences that I have ever read. It has blessed the
writer for finding the courage to bare his soul, thus making him whole and
it also blesses the reader who learns that forgiveness is the key to peace
of mind.
Monday, January 23, 2006
BASIC JAPANESE VOCABULARY AN EXPLANATION OF USAGE
AUTHOR: Toshiko Yamaguchi
PUBLISHER: Pelanduk Publications
PRICE: RM23
LEARNING a foreign language is the dream of most people. We all wish to
be able to speak Spanish, French, German or even Arabic fluently. However,
most of us also do not have the determination of a champion or the
tenacity of a world-class marathon runner.
This book by Toshiko Yamaguchi is a supplementary guide for those who
are in the initial stages of learning the Japanese language. If you have
no basic knowledge of the language, it's time to say "sayonara" to this
book now.
The author holds a PhD in linguistics. Her years of experience in
teaching Japanese to students in Singapore and Malaysia have helped her
understand the problems of learning the language among locals. Japanese
language students will be pleased to know that the book deals extensively
with the subtle differences between various Japanese words. This book has
seven chapters that elaborate on the seven characteristics of the
vocabulary. As in any other language, the nuances are hard to grasp by
novices. So many students make the mistake of using some words in
different situations, thinking the meaning is the same. That is not true.
Yamaguchi explains that many words have multiple meanings. Just like
Chinese characters, each word can convey a different meaning in a
different context. The trick of the trade, so to speak, is to learn the
useful phrases early at the elementary level. So one day if you happen to
be walking in downtown Tokyo, you may want to say "Anata wa eigo o
hanashimasu ka?" (Do you speak English?) to a stranger on the street. If
he replies "Hai, sukoshi hanashimasu" (Yes, I speak a little), then it's
your lucky day.
Those who already have a working knowledge of Mandarin will find it much
easier to master the Japanese language because of certain similarities.
Those who do not have this advantage may find it a bumpy road ahead. The
point is not to give up. This is where Yamaguchi's diligence will come to
play. She has expertly placed, side by side, the explanations in English-
to-Japanese words.
There are the glossary, grammar and answer sections to help students
understand the overall structure of the language. As with most challenging
tasks, everything begins at the most basic level. This guide will shine a
bright light on the path for those who wish to learn and speak the
Japanese language well. The explanations are simple enough to grasp and
important words are marked in bold. With Yamaguchi's well-structured
chapters and the student's perseverance, mastering the Japanese language
should not be too difficult.
Here are some phrases you may want to memorise in case you make an
unscheduled stopover in Japan sometime in the near future. They are "Sore
wa ikura desu ka?" (How much is it?), "Toire wa doko desu ka?" (Where is
the toilet?), "Iie, wakarimasen" (No, I don't understand) and "Tasukete!"
(help!).
PUBLISHER: Pelanduk Publications
PRICE: RM23
LEARNING a foreign language is the dream of most people. We all wish to
be able to speak Spanish, French, German or even Arabic fluently. However,
most of us also do not have the determination of a champion or the
tenacity of a world-class marathon runner.
This book by Toshiko Yamaguchi is a supplementary guide for those who
are in the initial stages of learning the Japanese language. If you have
no basic knowledge of the language, it's time to say "sayonara" to this
book now.
The author holds a PhD in linguistics. Her years of experience in
teaching Japanese to students in Singapore and Malaysia have helped her
understand the problems of learning the language among locals. Japanese
language students will be pleased to know that the book deals extensively
with the subtle differences between various Japanese words. This book has
seven chapters that elaborate on the seven characteristics of the
vocabulary. As in any other language, the nuances are hard to grasp by
novices. So many students make the mistake of using some words in
different situations, thinking the meaning is the same. That is not true.
Yamaguchi explains that many words have multiple meanings. Just like
Chinese characters, each word can convey a different meaning in a
different context. The trick of the trade, so to speak, is to learn the
useful phrases early at the elementary level. So one day if you happen to
be walking in downtown Tokyo, you may want to say "Anata wa eigo o
hanashimasu ka?" (Do you speak English?) to a stranger on the street. If
he replies "Hai, sukoshi hanashimasu" (Yes, I speak a little), then it's
your lucky day.
Those who already have a working knowledge of Mandarin will find it much
easier to master the Japanese language because of certain similarities.
Those who do not have this advantage may find it a bumpy road ahead. The
point is not to give up. This is where Yamaguchi's diligence will come to
play. She has expertly placed, side by side, the explanations in English-
to-Japanese words.
There are the glossary, grammar and answer sections to help students
understand the overall structure of the language. As with most challenging
tasks, everything begins at the most basic level. This guide will shine a
bright light on the path for those who wish to learn and speak the
Japanese language well. The explanations are simple enough to grasp and
important words are marked in bold. With Yamaguchi's well-structured
chapters and the student's perseverance, mastering the Japanese language
should not be too difficult.
Here are some phrases you may want to memorise in case you make an
unscheduled stopover in Japan sometime in the near future. They are "Sore
wa ikura desu ka?" (How much is it?), "Toire wa doko desu ka?" (Where is
the toilet?), "Iie, wakarimasen" (No, I don't understand) and "Tasukete!"
(help!).
The Master Plan To Success andrew carnegie
Publisher: Napoleon Hill Associates Creative Vision Sdn Bhd
ABOUT 100 years ago, a young journalist, Napoleon Hill, was assigned to interview a list of famous personalities. The year was 1908 and on top of his work list was Andrew Carnegie.
Carnegie was in his 70s at that time. He was the founder of the United States Steel Corporation. He was also one of the richest men in America. The great industrialist is famous for the Carnegie Public Libraries which are scattered throughout the world today.
During the interview, Carnegie said: "It's a shame that each new generation must find the way to success by trail and error when the principles are really clear-cut."
Carnegie then urged Hill to draw up a practical philosophy that the ordinary man in the street can use. He then sprung a surprise on Hill. He asked if the young man was willing to devote the next 20 years of his life to this monumental task.
The catch was the tycoon would not be funding the project. Hill would have to find his way to the so-called Rainbow's End. Except for the financial incidentals like the occasional pocket money and travel expenses, Hill was very much on his own.
In his lifelong quest, Hill interviewed, among others, John D.
Rockefeller, Theodore Roosevelt, William H. Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Thomas
Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Henry Ford, George Eastman, F.W.
Woolworth, Charles M. Schwab and William Wrigley Jr.
This book was originally titled How To Raise Your Own Salary. It has 17
principles of success. All the wealthy and famous men whom Hill
interviewed over two decades had freely given their formulas of success
so that future generations the world over could benefit from their
accumulated experiences.
The 17 principles are Develop Definiteness of Purpose, Use the Master
Mind Principle, Develop An Attractive Personality, Employ Applied Faith,
Go The Extra Mile, Use Organised Individual Endeavour, Cultivate Creative
Vision, Exercise Self-Discipline, Organise Your Thinking, Learn From
Defeat, Seek Inspiration, Control Your Attention, Apply The Golden Rule,
Cooperate, Budget Your Time And Money, Make Health A Habit and Benefit
from Cosmic Habitforce.
This book is a treasure trove of some of the finest gems in life. If it
is at all possible, it should be made standard text in all Malaysian
schools at secondary level.
Its purpose is clearly to inculcate in Malaysian youths some of the
best values ever developed by masters who have walked the earth long
before many of us were born. The number of youths willing to absorb and
practise these principles is not as important as their awareness of these
values and virtues that can be adopted and developed by everyone.
The world has moved on since Hill's death on Nov 8, 1970. In his 87
years on earth, Hill wrote a number of significant books that have left
an indelible mark on many successful individuals who were fortunate
enough to read them. These books are Think and Grow Rich, Law of Success,
Napoleon Hill's Science of Success and Master Key To Riches.
Among these, of course, is The Master Plan To Success. It shall remain
one of Hill's most stirring personal statements on how to achieve success
in life. It is his great discovery after interviewing so many masterminds.
The entire project was destined to be Hill's work because those
historical figures lived during his time. It was also fated that he met
and talked to them.
This book is then the culmination of 20 years of hard work, from which
today we all are the beneficiaries.
After we have become successful, and lest we forget our humble
beginnings, Carnegie says: "Humility of the heart is the result of a true
understanding of man's relation to his Creator, plus the recognition that
the material blessings of life are a gift of the Creator for the common
good of all mankind."
ABOUT 100 years ago, a young journalist, Napoleon Hill, was assigned to interview a list of famous personalities. The year was 1908 and on top of his work list was Andrew Carnegie.
Carnegie was in his 70s at that time. He was the founder of the United States Steel Corporation. He was also one of the richest men in America. The great industrialist is famous for the Carnegie Public Libraries which are scattered throughout the world today.
During the interview, Carnegie said: "It's a shame that each new generation must find the way to success by trail and error when the principles are really clear-cut."
Carnegie then urged Hill to draw up a practical philosophy that the ordinary man in the street can use. He then sprung a surprise on Hill. He asked if the young man was willing to devote the next 20 years of his life to this monumental task.
The catch was the tycoon would not be funding the project. Hill would have to find his way to the so-called Rainbow's End. Except for the financial incidentals like the occasional pocket money and travel expenses, Hill was very much on his own.
In his lifelong quest, Hill interviewed, among others, John D.
Rockefeller, Theodore Roosevelt, William H. Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Thomas
Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Henry Ford, George Eastman, F.W.
Woolworth, Charles M. Schwab and William Wrigley Jr.
This book was originally titled How To Raise Your Own Salary. It has 17
principles of success. All the wealthy and famous men whom Hill
interviewed over two decades had freely given their formulas of success
so that future generations the world over could benefit from their
accumulated experiences.
The 17 principles are Develop Definiteness of Purpose, Use the Master
Mind Principle, Develop An Attractive Personality, Employ Applied Faith,
Go The Extra Mile, Use Organised Individual Endeavour, Cultivate Creative
Vision, Exercise Self-Discipline, Organise Your Thinking, Learn From
Defeat, Seek Inspiration, Control Your Attention, Apply The Golden Rule,
Cooperate, Budget Your Time And Money, Make Health A Habit and Benefit
from Cosmic Habitforce.
This book is a treasure trove of some of the finest gems in life. If it
is at all possible, it should be made standard text in all Malaysian
schools at secondary level.
Its purpose is clearly to inculcate in Malaysian youths some of the
best values ever developed by masters who have walked the earth long
before many of us were born. The number of youths willing to absorb and
practise these principles is not as important as their awareness of these
values and virtues that can be adopted and developed by everyone.
The world has moved on since Hill's death on Nov 8, 1970. In his 87
years on earth, Hill wrote a number of significant books that have left
an indelible mark on many successful individuals who were fortunate
enough to read them. These books are Think and Grow Rich, Law of Success,
Napoleon Hill's Science of Success and Master Key To Riches.
Among these, of course, is The Master Plan To Success. It shall remain
one of Hill's most stirring personal statements on how to achieve success
in life. It is his great discovery after interviewing so many masterminds.
The entire project was destined to be Hill's work because those
historical figures lived during his time. It was also fated that he met
and talked to them.
This book is then the culmination of 20 years of hard work, from which
today we all are the beneficiaries.
After we have become successful, and lest we forget our humble
beginnings, Carnegie says: "Humility of the heart is the result of a true
understanding of man's relation to his Creator, plus the recognition that
the material blessings of life are a gift of the Creator for the common
good of all mankind."
BELIEVE AND ACHIEVE
By W. Clement Stone
Publisher: Napoleon Hill Associates Creative Sdn Bhd
FORTY-ONE years after Napoleon Hill's historic meeting with Andrew Carnegie the American steel industrialist, another man walked into Hill's life.
Clement Stone was 50 years old when he met Hill who was then 69 and semi-retired. Hill was enjoying the fruits of his labour from a lifetime of lecturing and writing. Stone was the head of his enormously successful insurance company called Combined.
The meeting between Hill and Stone took place in Chicago at a Kiwanis Club. The organiser thought it would be interesting to arrange the meeting of the two of the best minds in America. It triggered a collaboration of works that spanned over a decade.
They found in each other a common ground that success can be achieved if only a person believes in his own abilities and in his own potential to achieve success regardless of the odds stacked against him.
Their combined efforts were seen in a long series of "Positive Mental Attitude" lectures held all over America. One of the keys to the success of their long association was enthusiasm. To keep the zeal burning and alive in the hearts and minds of their audiences, Stone and Hill founded the magazine called Success Unlimited.
Stone's Believe And Achieve also has 17 principles, much like Hill's earlier work The Master Plan To Success. Many of the principles mirror Hill's success formula. However, Stone has given this book a more contemporary flavour.
Stone discusses case studies of Americans who rose from poverty to enjoy the lifestyle of the rich and famous, among them country singer Merle Haggard who emerged from San Quentin Prison to become one of America's best-loved singers; talk-show host Larry King who was fired from his job, sank deeply into debt and almost gave up on life until he decided to claw his way back to the top; and Carl Perkins, the man who overheard a boy telling his girlfriend at a dance party to "stay off his
suede shoes".
Perkins couldn't forget the conversation and later wrote the song Blue Suede Shoes that was made famous worldwide by Elvis Presley.
Stories like these give Believe And Achieve a very real touch of credibility that readers will find most endearing.
What Hill wrote about decades ago in his Master Plan to Success has been expanded and elaborated upon by Stone to suit modern times. The formula is still there. It has been finetuned and some minor touches have been added and adjustments made.
This book is a moral booster for those who may have been lamenting that life has often left them holding the short straw. Stone's self-help guide should be the "kick-in-the-behind" that procrastinators and laggards need urgently to propel them to the forefront of the rat race.
In the process, those who abide by Stone's principles will learn that it is much better to associate with those people who are optimistic and enthusiastic and it's often wiser to budget your time and money.
In the final chapter, Stone has this to say to his readers: "In order to attain any goal in life, you must first learn to recognize, relate, assimilate and apply principles from what you see, hear, read, think, or experience.
"When you read an inspirational, self-help book, for example, you will not receive any benefit from the words unless you study, understand, comprehend, and apply the principles it sets forth." There you have it, now you have no more excuses.
Publisher: Napoleon Hill Associates Creative Sdn Bhd
FORTY-ONE years after Napoleon Hill's historic meeting with Andrew Carnegie the American steel industrialist, another man walked into Hill's life.
Clement Stone was 50 years old when he met Hill who was then 69 and semi-retired. Hill was enjoying the fruits of his labour from a lifetime of lecturing and writing. Stone was the head of his enormously successful insurance company called Combined.
The meeting between Hill and Stone took place in Chicago at a Kiwanis Club. The organiser thought it would be interesting to arrange the meeting of the two of the best minds in America. It triggered a collaboration of works that spanned over a decade.
They found in each other a common ground that success can be achieved if only a person believes in his own abilities and in his own potential to achieve success regardless of the odds stacked against him.
Their combined efforts were seen in a long series of "Positive Mental Attitude" lectures held all over America. One of the keys to the success of their long association was enthusiasm. To keep the zeal burning and alive in the hearts and minds of their audiences, Stone and Hill founded the magazine called Success Unlimited.
Stone's Believe And Achieve also has 17 principles, much like Hill's earlier work The Master Plan To Success. Many of the principles mirror Hill's success formula. However, Stone has given this book a more contemporary flavour.
Stone discusses case studies of Americans who rose from poverty to enjoy the lifestyle of the rich and famous, among them country singer Merle Haggard who emerged from San Quentin Prison to become one of America's best-loved singers; talk-show host Larry King who was fired from his job, sank deeply into debt and almost gave up on life until he decided to claw his way back to the top; and Carl Perkins, the man who overheard a boy telling his girlfriend at a dance party to "stay off his
suede shoes".
Perkins couldn't forget the conversation and later wrote the song Blue Suede Shoes that was made famous worldwide by Elvis Presley.
Stories like these give Believe And Achieve a very real touch of credibility that readers will find most endearing.
What Hill wrote about decades ago in his Master Plan to Success has been expanded and elaborated upon by Stone to suit modern times. The formula is still there. It has been finetuned and some minor touches have been added and adjustments made.
This book is a moral booster for those who may have been lamenting that life has often left them holding the short straw. Stone's self-help guide should be the "kick-in-the-behind" that procrastinators and laggards need urgently to propel them to the forefront of the rat race.
In the process, those who abide by Stone's principles will learn that it is much better to associate with those people who are optimistic and enthusiastic and it's often wiser to budget your time and money.
In the final chapter, Stone has this to say to his readers: "In order to attain any goal in life, you must first learn to recognize, relate, assimilate and apply principles from what you see, hear, read, think, or experience.
"When you read an inspirational, self-help book, for example, you will not receive any benefit from the words unless you study, understand, comprehend, and apply the principles it sets forth." There you have it, now you have no more excuses.
ENGLISH GRAMMAR FOR EVERYONE - MASTERING ENGLISH GRAMMAR
By Milon Nandy Publisher by Pelanduk Publications
THAT there are numerous books on the teaching of English in book stores is a fact. Many are not only good but also important for imparting lessons and tips towards mastering a language that is also probably the most relevant medium of communication today.
Milon Nandy's English Grammar For Everyone was first published in 1999. This is a revised edition, updated in keeping with the latest developments in the use of the English language in the 21st century.
Those of us who can speak and write English will no doubt think we have learnt all that could be learned about the language. This comprehensive self-study guide will surprise even the most learned among us that there are many aspects of the language that we have overlooked.
Truth be told, grammar is not exactly the favourite subject for many of us. It can be taxing on our attention span and it may even be confusing after a while, for those who have not dedicated their lives to becoming grammarians.
This book is all about grammar. It has been designed and written in a manner to be readerfriendly. So you may approach it without any fears of experiencing a sleeping-gas effect.
Those readers who went to school in the `50s and `60s would experience a dintjwill vu with explanations of abstract nouns, intransitive verbs, present perfect continuous tense and types of conjunctions.
Experts in English grammar are now a rare species. Those who have a natural inclination towards mastering grammar are shrinking in number because the language has gone through a process of evolution that has surprised many old timers.
However, this book is a little like drinking wine. Once, you know what you are drinking and how it has been processed and matured, you will appreciate it more. In this case, English grammar comes across as a challenge to those who desire to know more about the language. The fact that the standard of English language has been declining rather rapidly not only in this country but also in other English-speaking countries is cause for alarm.
Hence, it is appropriate that this book on mastering English grammar be found in those households that value the language as an important tool in the advancement of career in most professional fields.
Those who currently "speak no England" are strongly advised to purchase this wonderful book by Milon Nandy and make it their English language bible. Some familiarity with the contents will hold the reader in good stead in future years.
Sometime in the distant future, if you are in the company of about 30 people at a function and find yourself the only one who can speak grammatically-correct English without any unconscious lapses into local lingo like "shioklah" or "tak boleh tahan", you may just end up in the A-list of guests for the next big party.
THAT there are numerous books on the teaching of English in book stores is a fact. Many are not only good but also important for imparting lessons and tips towards mastering a language that is also probably the most relevant medium of communication today.
Milon Nandy's English Grammar For Everyone was first published in 1999. This is a revised edition, updated in keeping with the latest developments in the use of the English language in the 21st century.
Those of us who can speak and write English will no doubt think we have learnt all that could be learned about the language. This comprehensive self-study guide will surprise even the most learned among us that there are many aspects of the language that we have overlooked.
Truth be told, grammar is not exactly the favourite subject for many of us. It can be taxing on our attention span and it may even be confusing after a while, for those who have not dedicated their lives to becoming grammarians.
This book is all about grammar. It has been designed and written in a manner to be readerfriendly. So you may approach it without any fears of experiencing a sleeping-gas effect.
Those readers who went to school in the `50s and `60s would experience a dintjwill vu with explanations of abstract nouns, intransitive verbs, present perfect continuous tense and types of conjunctions.
Experts in English grammar are now a rare species. Those who have a natural inclination towards mastering grammar are shrinking in number because the language has gone through a process of evolution that has surprised many old timers.
However, this book is a little like drinking wine. Once, you know what you are drinking and how it has been processed and matured, you will appreciate it more. In this case, English grammar comes across as a challenge to those who desire to know more about the language. The fact that the standard of English language has been declining rather rapidly not only in this country but also in other English-speaking countries is cause for alarm.
Hence, it is appropriate that this book on mastering English grammar be found in those households that value the language as an important tool in the advancement of career in most professional fields.
Those who currently "speak no England" are strongly advised to purchase this wonderful book by Milon Nandy and make it their English language bible. Some familiarity with the contents will hold the reader in good stead in future years.
Sometime in the distant future, if you are in the company of about 30 people at a function and find yourself the only one who can speak grammatically-correct English without any unconscious lapses into local lingo like "shioklah" or "tak boleh tahan", you may just end up in the A-list of guests for the next big party.
Thinking Smart - You Are How You Think
Applying The Theory Of Constraints In Developing Thinking Skills
BY KHAW CHOON EAN
EVEN though this thinking guide can be read by anyone, regardless of
age, I believe it is primarily aimed at schoolchildren. Thinking has long
been considered a skill that is generally ignored by a large section of
society.
Anyone who has a tertiary education believes that he can think for
himself.
Unfortunately, that is not the case, otherwise society will not be beset by so many common problems that could have been solved with some common sense and a little bit of critical thinking.
Thus, it is apt that writer Khaw Choon Ean has taken upon herself to render unto a permanent form, her thoughts and experience with this Theory of Constraints. The moment an individual reaches the age of reason, problems whether perceived or real will begin to set in. Hence, there will always be problems pertaining to various aspects of life as we move through the various passages of life.
How we handle these problems will determine our level of self-confidence and maturity in adulthood. In this book, defining problems, making the right decisions and accepting responsibility are discussed openly and realistically.
The thinking tools applied in the context of teaching and learning are called the Cloud, the Branch and the Ambitious Target Tree. The discerning reader will realise after a while that there's a similarity between the tools used and mind-mapping as created by mind-master Tony Buzan.
However, the Theory of Constraints for Education has been tailor-made for schools since 2001. Today, the tools are being used in the teaching of civics education and social science subjects.
Writer Khaw, who is also an educationist and a trainer in sports, has used innovative ways to make her ideas clear to all concerned. She uses simple charts and diagrams to shed light on subjects that can sometimes become complicated issues.
Part of this TOC process involves total understanding of the subject matter and putting forth your thoughts in a logical manner. Hence, actions and ideas have to be explored thoroughly so as to envision the consequences of wrong decisions.
In the whole scheme of things, students who wish to make full use of the Theory of Constraints have to execute systemically and strategically their plans of action.
On first reading, the book may be perceived to be rather quite simple in its approach to the subject, but then thinking is always a simple process if you know all the rules of clear thinking.
Khaw has done a fine job of illustrating her ideas of thinking out-of-the-box and developing win-win solutions in a systematic manner.
The writer has had a long career in the field of education. Her experience in education began with the years in Universiti Sains Malaysia where she had exhibited enormous talents in various fields.
This book is but one of her many achievements in the field of education.
That she is dedicated and immensely creative is without a doubt. With this book, she has made another significant contribution to the development of young children in this country.
Parents who are concerned over their children's education should take a closer look at this book and its relevance to the maturity of young adults in their own homes.
BY KHAW CHOON EAN
EVEN though this thinking guide can be read by anyone, regardless of
age, I believe it is primarily aimed at schoolchildren. Thinking has long
been considered a skill that is generally ignored by a large section of
society.
Anyone who has a tertiary education believes that he can think for
himself.
Unfortunately, that is not the case, otherwise society will not be beset by so many common problems that could have been solved with some common sense and a little bit of critical thinking.
Thus, it is apt that writer Khaw Choon Ean has taken upon herself to render unto a permanent form, her thoughts and experience with this Theory of Constraints. The moment an individual reaches the age of reason, problems whether perceived or real will begin to set in. Hence, there will always be problems pertaining to various aspects of life as we move through the various passages of life.
How we handle these problems will determine our level of self-confidence and maturity in adulthood. In this book, defining problems, making the right decisions and accepting responsibility are discussed openly and realistically.
The thinking tools applied in the context of teaching and learning are called the Cloud, the Branch and the Ambitious Target Tree. The discerning reader will realise after a while that there's a similarity between the tools used and mind-mapping as created by mind-master Tony Buzan.
However, the Theory of Constraints for Education has been tailor-made for schools since 2001. Today, the tools are being used in the teaching of civics education and social science subjects.
Writer Khaw, who is also an educationist and a trainer in sports, has used innovative ways to make her ideas clear to all concerned. She uses simple charts and diagrams to shed light on subjects that can sometimes become complicated issues.
Part of this TOC process involves total understanding of the subject matter and putting forth your thoughts in a logical manner. Hence, actions and ideas have to be explored thoroughly so as to envision the consequences of wrong decisions.
In the whole scheme of things, students who wish to make full use of the Theory of Constraints have to execute systemically and strategically their plans of action.
On first reading, the book may be perceived to be rather quite simple in its approach to the subject, but then thinking is always a simple process if you know all the rules of clear thinking.
Khaw has done a fine job of illustrating her ideas of thinking out-of-the-box and developing win-win solutions in a systematic manner.
The writer has had a long career in the field of education. Her experience in education began with the years in Universiti Sains Malaysia where she had exhibited enormous talents in various fields.
This book is but one of her many achievements in the field of education.
That she is dedicated and immensely creative is without a doubt. With this book, she has made another significant contribution to the development of young children in this country.
Parents who are concerned over their children's education should take a closer look at this book and its relevance to the maturity of young adults in their own homes.
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