Best Selling Books by Dan Jones

The New York Times bestseller, from the author of Powers and Thrones, that tells the story of Britain’s greatest and worst dynasty—“a real-life Game of Thrones” (The Wall Street Journal) The first Plantagenet kings inherited a blood-soaked realm from the Normans and transformed it into an empire that stretched at its peak from Scotland to Jerusalem. In this epic narrative history of courage, treachery, ambition, and deception, Dan Jones resurrects the unruly royal dynasty that preceded the Tudors. They produced England’s best and worst kings: Henry II and his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine, twice a queen and the most famous woman in Christendom; their son Richard the Lionheart, who fought Saladin in the Third Crusade; and his conniving brother King John, who was forced to grant his people new rights under the Magna Carta, the basis for our own bill of rights. Combining the latest academic research with a gift for storytelling, Jones vividly recreates the great battles of Bannockburn, Crécy, and Sluys and reveals how the maligned kings Edward II and Richard II met their downfalls. This is the era of chivalry and the Black Death, the Knights Templar, the founding of parliament, and the Hundred Years’ War, when England’s national identity was forged by the sword.

In this groundbreaking sequel to The Gold Mine, authors Michael and Freddy Ballé present a compelling story that teaches readers the most important lean lesson of all: how to transform themselves and their workers through the discipline of learning the lean system.The Lean Manager: A Novel of Lean Transformation reveals how individuals can go beyond the short-term gains from tools, and realize a deeper, sustainable path of improvement. Full of human moments that capture the excitement and drama of lean implementation, as well as clear explanations of how tools and systems go hand-in-hand, this book will teach and inspire every person working to make lean a reality in their organization today.

The author of the New York Times bestseller The Plantagenets and The Templars chronicles the next chapter in British history—the historical backdrop for Game of Thrones The inspiration for the Channel 5 series Britain''s Bloody Crown The crown of England changed hands five times over the course of the fifteenth century, as two branches of the Plantagenet dynasty fought to the death for the right to rule. In this riveting follow-up to The Plantagenets, celebrated historian Dan Jones describes how the longest-reigning British royal family tore itself apart until it was finally replaced by the Tudors. Some of the greatest heroes and villains of history were thrown together in these turbulent times, from Joan of Arc to Henry V, whose victory at Agincourt marked the high point of the medieval monarchy, and Richard III, who murdered his own nephews in a desperate bid to secure his stolen crown. This was a period when headstrong queens and consorts seized power and bent men to their will. With vivid descriptions of the battles of Towton and Bosworth, where the last Plantagenet king was slain, this dramatic narrative history revels in bedlam and intrigue. It also offers a long-overdue corrective to Tudor propaganda, dismantling their self-serving account of what they called the Wars of the Roses.

A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2023 The New York Times bestselling historian makes his historical fiction debut with an explosive novel set during the Hundred Years'' War. July 1346. Ten men land on the beaches of Normandy. They call themselves the Essex Dogs: an unruly platoon of archers and men-at-arms led by a battle-scarred captain whose best days are behind him. The fight for the throne of the largest kingdom in Western Europe has begun. Heading ever deeper into enemy territory toward Crécy, this band of brothers knows they are off to fight a battle that will forge nations, and shape the very fabric of human lives. But first they must survive a bloody war in which rules are abandoned and chivalry itself is slaughtered. Rooted in historical accuracy and told through an unforgettable cast, Essex Dogs delivers the stark reality of medieval war on the ground – and shines a light on the fighters and ordinary people caught in the storm.

"Not only an engrossing read about the distant past, both informative and entertaining, but also a profoundly thought-provoking view of our not-really-so-‘new’ present . . . All medieval history is here, beautifully narrated."—Wall Street Journal "A lively history . . . [Jones] has managed to touch every major topic. As each piece of the puzzle is placed into position, the modern world gradually comes into view . . . Powers and Thrones provides the reader with a framework for understanding a complicated subject, and it tells the story of an essential era of world history with skill and style."—The New York Times The New York Times bestselling author returns with an epic history of the medieval world—a rich and complicated reappraisal of an era whose legacy and lessons we are still living with today. When the once-mighty city of Rome was sacked by barbarians in 410 and lay in ruins, it signaled the end of an era—and the beginning of a thousand years of profound transformation. In a gripping narrative bursting with big names—from St Augustine and Attila the Hun to the Prophet Muhammad and Eleanor of Aquitaine—Dan Jones charges through the history of the Middle Ages. Powers and Thrones takes readers on a journey through an emerging Europe, the great capitals of late Antiquity, as well as the influential cities of the Islamic West, and culminates in the first European voyages to the Americas. The medieval world was forged by the big forces that still occupy us today: climate change, pandemic disease, mass migration, and technological revolutions. This was the time when the great European nationalities were formed; when the basic Western systems of law and governance were codified; when the Christian Churches matured as both powerful institutions and the regulators of Western public morality; and when art, architecture, philosophical inquiry and scientific invention went through periods of massive, revolutionary change. The West was rebuilt on the ruins of an empire and emerged from a state of crisis and collapse to dominate the world. Every sphere of human life and activity was transformed in the thousand years covered by Powers and Thrones. As we face a critical turning point in our own millennium, Dan Jones shows that how we got here matters more than ever.

An instant New York Times bestseller, from the author of Crusaders, that finally tells the real story of the Knights Templar—“Seldom does one find serious scholarship so easy to read.” (The Times, Book of the Year) A faltering war in the middle east. A band of elite warriors determined to fight to the death to protect Christianity''s holiest sites. A global financial network unaccountable to any government. A sinister plot founded on a web of lies... In 1119, a small band of knights seeking a purpose in the violent aftermath of the First Crusade set up a new religious order in Jerusalem, which was now in Christian hands. These were the first Knights Templar, elite warriors who swore vows of poverty and chastity and promised to protect Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land. Over the next 200 years, the Templars would become the most powerful network of the medieval world, speerheading the crusades, pionerring new forms of finance and warfare and deciding the fate of kings. Then, on October 13, 1307, hundreds of brothers were arrested, imprisoned and tortured and the order was disbanded among lurid accusations of sexual misconduct and heresy. But were they heretics or victims of a ruthlessly repressive state? Dan Jones goes back to the sources to bring their dramatic tale, so relevant to our own times, to life in a book that is at once authoritative and compulsively readable.

A major new history of the Crusades with an unprecedented wide scope, told in a tableau of portraits of people on all sides of the wars, from the author of Powers and Thrones. For more than one thousand years, Christians and Muslims lived side by side, sometimes at peace and sometimes at war. When Christian armies seized Jerusalem in 1099, they began the most notorious period of conflict between the two religions. Depending on who you ask, the fall of the holy city was either an inspiring legend or the greatest of horrors. In Crusaders, Dan Jones interrogates the many sides of the larger story, charting a deeply human and avowedly pluralist path through the crusading era. Expanding the usual timeframe, Jones looks to the roots of Christian-Muslim relations in the eighth century and tracks the influence of crusading to present day. He widens the geographical focus to far-flung regions home to so-called enemies of the Church, including Spain, North Africa, southern France, and the Baltic states. By telling intimate stories of individual journeys, Jones illuminates these centuries of war not only from the perspective of popes and kings, but from Arab-Sicilian poets, Byzantine princesses, Sunni scholars, Shi''ite viziers, Mamluk slave soldiers, Mongol chieftains, and barefoot friars. Crusading remains a rallying call to this day, but its role in the popular imagination ignores the cooperation and complicated coexistence that were just as much a feature of the period as warfare. The age-old relationships between faith, conquest, wealth, power, and trade meant that crusading was not only about fighting for the glory of God, but also, among other earthly reasons, about gold. In this richly dramatic narrative that gives voice to sources usually pushed to the margins, Dan Jones has written an authoritative survey of the holy wars with global scope and human focus.

At that point in his life Dan didnt do church stuff but God was about to demonstrate that you dont have to be a preacher to experience how God encounters ordinary people in mighty ways. God gave an ordinary person a message that moves many to tears and all to action. An amazing journey from disbelief to experiencing supernatural workings in a mighty way. Walk side by side with a mysterious lady during the middle of the night in a downpour. Angels walk among us. Witness the miraculous healing of a young boy and the dramatic conversion of a non believer birthed as a result of this truly amazing event. An unconventional approach to salvation leads to an all consuming desire for salvation. Spared from death to share a fresh message of hope, inspiration, and answers to dealing with lifes many challenges...if only you would.... GO FIND OUT.

Revolt and upheaval in medieval Britain by a brilliant new narrative historian. ''Summer of Blood'' breaks new ground in its portrayal of the personalities and politics of the bloody days of June 1381.

"The fifteenth century experienced the longest and bloodiest series of civil wars in British history. The crown of England changed hands violently seven times as the great families of England fought to the death for power, majesty and the right to rule. Dan Jones describes how the Plantagenets tore themselves apart and were finally replaced by the Tudors."--Publisher description.

"Dan Jones has an enviable gift for telling a dramatic story while at the same time inviting us to consider serious topics like liberty and the seeds of representative government." —Antonia Fraser From the New York Times bestselling author of The Plantagenets, a lively, action-packed history of how the Magna Carta came to be—by the author of Powers and Thrones. The Magna Carta is revered around the world as the founding document of Western liberty. Its principles—even its language—can be found in our Bill of Rights and in the Constitution. But what was this strange document and how did it gain such legendary status? Dan Jones takes us back to the turbulent year of 1215, when, beset by foreign crises and cornered by a growing domestic rebellion, King John reluctantly agreed to fix his seal to a document that would change the course of history. At the time of its creation the Magna Carta was just a peace treaty drafted by a group of rebel barons who were tired of the king''s high taxes, arbitrary justice, and endless foreign wars. The fragile peace it established would last only two months, but its principles have reverberated over the centuries. Jones''s riveting narrative follows the story of the Magna Carta''s creation, its failure, and the war that subsequently engulfed England, and charts the high points in its unexpected afterlife. Reissued by King John''s successors it protected the Church, banned unlawful imprisonment, and set limits to the exercise of royal power. It established the principle that taxation must be tied to representation and paved the way for the creation of Parliament. In 1776 American patriots, inspired by that long-ago defiance, dared to pick up arms against another English king and to demand even more far-reaching rights. We think of the Declaration of Independence as our founding document but those who drafted it had their eye on the Magna Carta.

A chilling medieval ghost story, retold by bestselling historian Dan Jones. Published in a beautiful small-format hardback, perfect as a Halloween read or a Christmas gift. One winter, in the dark days of King Richard II, a tailor was riding home on the road from Gilling to Ampleforth. It was dank, wet and gloomy; he couldn''t wait to get home and sit in front of a blazing fire. Then, out of nowhere, the tailor is knocked off his horse by a raven, who then transforms into a hideous dog, his mouth writhing with its own innards. The dog issues the tailor with a warning: he must go to a priest and ask for absolution and return to the road, or else there will be consequences... First recorded in the early fifteenth century by an unknown monk, The Tale of the Tailor and the Three Dead Kings was transcribed from the Latin by the great medievalist M.R. James in 1922. Building on that tradition, now bestselling historian Dan Jones retells this medieval ghost story in crisp and creepy prose.

"Superb historical fiction, as fresh, vivid and vital as this morning''s headlines ... proves once again that nothing really changes, be it a soldier''s life - or great storytelling."—Lee Child AN ENDLESS WAR. A BLOOD-SOAKED BATTLEFIELD. A BAND OF BROTHERS. The epic sequel to Essex Dogs, continuing the New York Times bestselling historian''s trilogy of novels following the fortunes of ten ordinary soldiers during the Hundred Years War. 1347. Bruised and bloodied by an epic battle at Crécy, six soldiers known as the Essex Dogs pick through the wreckage of the fighting—and their own lives. Now a new siege is beginning, and the Dogs are sent to attack the soaring walls of Calais. King Edward has vowed no Englishman will leave France ‘til this city falls. To get home, they must survive a merciless winter in a lawless camp deadlier than any battlefield. Obsessed with tracking down the vanished Captain, Loveday struggles to control his own men. Romford is haunted by the reappearance of a horrific figure from his past. And Scotsman is spiraling into a pit of drink, violence, and self-pity. The Dogs are being torn apart—but this war is far from over. It won''t be long before they lose more of their own. From a vast siege camp built outside Calais'' walls, to the pirate ships patrolling the harbor, and into the dark corners of oligarchs'' houses, where the deals that shape—and end—lives are made, this captivating and darkly comic story brings the fourteenth century vividly to life.

The New York Times bestselling author returns with a biography examining the dramatic life and unparalleled leadership of England''s greatest medieval king Henry V reigned over England for only nine years and four months and died at the age of just thirty-five, but he looms over the landscape of the late Middle Ages and beyond. The victor of Agincourt, he is remembered as the acme of kingship, a model to be closely imitated by his successors. William Shakespeare deployed Henry V as a study in youthful folly redirected to sober statesmanship. For one modern medievalist, Henry was, quite simply, “the greatest man who ever ruled England.” For Dan Jones, Henry V is one of the most intriguing characters in all medieval history, but one of the hardest to pin down. He was a hardened, sometimes brutal warrior, yet he was also creative and artistic, with a bookish temperament. He was a leader who made many mistakes, who misjudged his friends and family, but he always seemed to triumph when it mattered. As king, he saved a shattered country from economic ruin, put down rebellions, and secured England’s borders; in foreign diplomacy, he made England a serious player once more. Yet through his conquests in northern France, he sowed the seeds for three generations of calamity at home, in the form of the Wars of the Roses. Henry V is a historical titan whose legacy has become a complicated one. To understand the man behind the legend, Jones first examines Henry’s years of apprenticeship, when he saw the downfall of one king and the turbulent reign of another. Upon his accession in 1413, he had already been politically and militarily active for years, and his extraordinary achievements as king would come shortly after, earning him an unparalleled historical reputation. Writing with his characteristic wit and style, Jones delivers a thrilling and unmissable life of England’s greatest king.

An illustrated portrait of English society in the year of Magna Carta, from best-selling author Dan Jones.

With Gin making record sales across Britain and the rest of the world, there’s been a boom in new distilleries and a thirst for new ways to enjoy this juniper-based spirit. Enter Dan Jones, bestselling gin author and cocktail enthusiast, who will make you love this tasty drink even more. Starting with the history of gin, Dan reveals how the first distilleries opened in the UK in the 1600s, explains the nuts and bolts of making the beverage, as well as all the different trends it has experienced. He’ll take imbibers on a journey around the world to some of the top producers, uncovers new trends, and shares over 100 tasty recipes, from classic cocktails, batch drinks, new concoctions, homemade syrups and more, and answers all the gin questions you were afraid to ask. Featuring stylish photography and illustrations throughout, The Big Book of Gin is a comprehensive guide to the renaissance of one of the world’s most celebrated spirits.

The third volume in the much-admired The Colour of Time series. A Woman''s World, 1850–1960 explores the many roles – domestic, social, cultural and professional – played by women across the world before second-wave feminism took hold. Using Marina Amaral''s colourized images and Dan Jones''s words, this survey features women both celebrated and ordinary, whether in the science lab or protesting on the streets, performing on stage or fighting in the trenches, running for election or exploring the wild. This vivid and unique history brings to life and full colour the female experience in a century of extraordinary change. Photographs include: Queen Victoria, Edith Cavell, Josephine Baker, Eva Peron, Virginia Woolf, Clara Schumann, Martha Gellhorn, Rosa Parks, Agatha Christie, Frida Kahlo, Harriet Tubman, Florence Nightingale, Hattie McDaniel and Gertrude Bell; as well as revolutionaries from China to Cuba, Geishas in Japan, protestors on the Salt March, teachers and pilots, nurses and soldiers.

The top five Sunday Times bestseller. ''Breathtaking'' Daily Mail. ''Astonishing'' Sun. ''Shimmering'' Spectator. ''Extraordinary'' Daily Telegraph. The Colour of Time spans more than a hundred years of world history from the reign of Queen Victoria and the US Civil War to the Cuban Missile Crisis and beginning of the Space Age. It charts the rise and fall of empires, the achievements of science, industry and the arts, the tragedies of war and the politics of peace, and the lives of men and women who made history. The book is a collaboration between a gifted Brazilian artist and a leading British historian. Marina Amaral has created 200 stunning images, using contemporary photographs as the basis for her full-colour digital renditions. Dan Jones has written a narrative that anchors each image in its context, and weaves them into a vivid account of the world that we live in today. A fusion of amazing pictures and well-chosen words, The Colour of Time offers a unique – and often beautiful – perspective on the past.

The ONLY book on the psychology of the big brother TV show When you watch Big Brother, do you have a feeling about which housemates like each other? Do you wish you knew what the housemates dreams meant? Would you like to be able to understand the housemates behaviours and interactions more like psychologist do? If the answer to these questions is YES, then this book is for you Learn to watch the Big Brother TV show in the same way that psychologists watch the show. Throughout this book the reader will learn to: - Be able to ''read'' the unconscious information that the Big Brother housemates give off verbally and non-verbally - Notice whether housemates are likely to be lying or telling the truth - Notice whether housemates are being manipulative - Know who is likely to do well and who is not - and much more... You will also learn what impact being in the Big Brother house is likely to have psychologically on the housemates and who is likely to cope best under the conditions set by Big Brother. The reader will learn about flirt signals, bullying in the house and interpreting the housemate''s dreams. Throughout this book I have used examples from UK Celebrity Big Brother 2007 to illustrate the points that I am covering. "As a fan of Big Brother I watch it in a different way to most people. Due to my training and experience as a psychological interpreter when I watch Big Brother I observe how the different contestants behave and interact with each other. I don''t make interpretations in quite the same way as most other psychologists and psychotherapists do. For example: Many psychologists look for specific behaviours and then make interpretations based on isolated behaviours. One common behaviour is that crossing your arms or legs means that you are being defensive. This may be true but if you see this behaviour you shouldn''t take it in isolation to other behaviours. It could equally be that it is cold or that the person is more comfortable by crossing their arms or legs. The key point that I would make is that you should keep in mind to watch out for PATTERNS. If someone, for example, covers their mouth and you think they were lying then look for other behaviours that were done at the same time and then check these in future situations. Poker players do this often to notice the behaviours of other players that give away whether they have a good hand or not. I had a client that when talking about her problem subtly dug her heals into the ground. I changed the subject then after a few minutes talked about it again and saw her dig her heals in again. I knew then that a suspected pattern occurred. She wanted to get better but it turned out she was getting something out of being ill (attention from her husband). After thousands of hours of watching people you get used to quickly picking up on people''s patterns of behaviour and on ways you can test those patterns. There is so much that I could cover for you to look out for when watching Big Brother that I have to cut down to what I think are the key points."

In his new cocktail collection, expert mixer Dan Jones proves that rough-around-the-edges dive bars provide the perfect inspiration for your homemade drinks. After all, if the bartender in a low-lit, sticky-carpeted, no-frills establishment can churn out a faultless Manhattan or the Dirty Martini of your dreams, that means you can do it too! Dan starts by detailing the basic cocktail kit, but never fear: an empty pickle jar for shaking and a spoon for swizzling will do the trick. With over 50 recipes, featuring chic classics and modern concoctions, single serves and jugs of joy, you won''t know where to begin. To set the mood, Dan explores the greatest dive bars across the globe and offers up the best karaoke song or dirty snack to accompany your tipple. So whether it''s a cocktail party or an unplanned drinkathon, let Dive Bar inject some magic into your next soiree.

''Hypnotherapy'' teaches all you need to know about hypnotherapy, from how to do hypnosis, to how to work therapeutically and how to set up and run your own practice and how to generate alternative income streams. Learn about: - How problems are formed - What trance is - The SET model - How to do hypnosis - What to do before and after you have hypnotised clients - Emotional needs - Innate skills and abilities - Observation skills - The RIGAAR model - Self-hypnosis - Ericksonian hypnosis - Ideo-dynamic healing - Strategies and treatment ideas for many problems Hypnotherapists work with - Setting up in practice - Alternative income streams to make additional income There are also two transcripts of real sessions with notes throughout of what is being done so that you can see all that you will have learnt being applied and follow along to see how it all works in live sessions (One session is an improving a clients artistic abilities, the other is helping a client that feels they can''t say ''no'' to people)

Every good hero needs a villain! Explore the hidden world of magnetic and mysterious villains, often cast aside and misunderstood in tales of mythology and folklore. Through the pages of Queer Villains of Myth and Legend, discover a diverse community of fascinating characters, ranging from seductive and cunning to powerful and awe-inspiring. Experience the dark allure of Circe and Medusa through to David Bowie''s Jareth in Labyrinth and delve into their complex and multifaceted personalities and motivations. Take a deep dive into the intersection of queerness and villainy, re-examine some of our favourite characters, and discover why so many ''bad'' characters are queer-coded. From ancient mythology to contemporary pop culture, Queer Villains of Myth and Legend celebrates the fascinating stories of these often-overlooked characters. Join Dan Jones on a journey of discovery, as he explores the hidden depths of queer villainy and sheds light on the queer identities of these compelling figures. It''s a powerful celebration of queerness through the ages in all its legendary complexity.

The cat-tastic companion to Dogs Who Changed the World. 50 awe-inspiring stories of cats who have altered history, inspired art and literature, reunited lost lovers, saved lives, or just ruined everything. These inspiring, humorous, heart-breaking, or just plain weird stories reveal why cats have earned their place as our weirdest, most endearing companions, and how our fascination with them is age-old. Along the way you''ll meet Félicette, the first moggy in space; Unsinkable Sam, a sea-faring feline; Tama, the railway cat who saved a community; and Snowball, the crime-solving cat. Cats Who Changed the World celebrates the unique relationship we have with our feline best friends, from contemporary times to all throughout history.

1215 – the penultimate year of the reign of a king with the worst reputation of any in our history – saw England engulfed by crisis. Weakened by the loss of Normandy, King John faced insurrection by his disgruntled barons. With the assistance of the Archbishop of Canterbury, they drew up a list of their demands. In June, in a quiet Thames-side water-meadow, John attached his regal seal – under oath – to a charter that set limits on regal power. In return, the barons renewed their vows of fealty. Groundbreaking though ''Magna Carta'' was, it had scant immediate impact as England descended into civil war that would still be raging when John died the following year. Dan Jones''s vivid account of the vicissitudes of feudal power politics and the workings of 13th-century government is interwoven with a exploration of the lives of ordinary people: how and where they worked, what they wore, what they ate, and what role the Church played in their lives.

In The Ultimate Book of Cocktails, bestselling cocktail author Dan Jones shares over 100 of his best-loved drinks. Starting with the basics, Dan covers the essentials of a home bar, from equipment and glassware to spirits needed, also including his own recipes for syrups, sours and brines. The cocktail list will have you powering through that leftover vodka you''ve had gathering dust in the kitchen in no time! From classic tipples to batch drinks for a crowd, hair-of-the-dog hangover cures, inventive new drinks, seasonal hits, tropical tasters and more, this is the bible of cocktails. Wow your guests with a mojito good enough to impress Ernest Hemingway, get the party started with a big batch of Backyard Sangria, and knock the socks off of winter with a hot and steamy Mexican Hot Chocolate. From summer tipples to winter warmers, this is the only cocktail book you will ever need. All written in Dan''s witty, engaging style, The Ultimate Book of Cocktails is perfect for the cocktail-lover in your life.

Dogs Who Changed the World is a beautifully illustrated, heart-warming book that celebrates all dogs and proves that every single one of them is absolute magic. Dogs have trotted at our collective side for tens of thousands of years, bound up in the story of humanity. They have inspired great works of art, caught spies, reconnected lost lovers, dragged the drowning to safety... or have just haplessly and happily ruined everything. These 50 tales acknowledge our unbreakable relationship with the dog, the ?rst-ever domesticated animal, and their dedication, heroism and unending sense of fun. Along the way we''ll meet big-boned Barry, the hefty St Bernard credited with saving the lives of more than 40 lost souls in the Swiss Alps in the 1800s. We''ll discover Sigmund Freud''s calm-inducing chow chow, Jo?, who would sit in on his psychotherapy sessions (and never spilled a secret), and feel the frustration of Sir Isaac Newton, whose little terror Diamond apparently knocked over a candle and destroyed the physicist''s most important manuscripts.

Reflecting a unique collaboration between a distinguished teacher and a practicing technical writer, Technical Communication: Strategies for College and the Workplace prepares students to communicate effectively in college and on the job. Technical Communication is written for college students, regardless of their majors, who want to sharpen their communication skills and their knowledge of a wide range of technical documents. Acknowledging that students are soon to join the workforce, Jones and Lane place special emphasis on job-related topics: the job search itself, electronic communication, collaboration and teamwork, peer review, online publication, professional development, and ethics and professionalism. Coverage of the job search includes detailed discussions of job correspondence, resumes, portfolios, interviewing, professional organizations and meetings, online forums, conferences, and opportunities for continuing education. Throughout the text, the authors'' discussions are accompanied by sidebars presenting the personal observations and profiles of actual technical professionals working in a variety of industries and job positions: real people talking about real jobs and the skills necessary to do those jobs successfully.