3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
irreverent, June 5, 2005
This review is from: Green Weenies and Due Diligence: Insider Business Jargon-Raw, Serious and Sometimes Funny (Hardcover)
For years, I've been seeing Gahan Wilson's warped drawings in science fiction magazines and the New Yorker. He's branching out. His trademark twisted sketches generously decorate this book. Possibly an inspired choice of illustrator by the author. It syncs with the irreverent tone of many of his explanations of business terms.
Put it this way. If you ken to the spirit of Dilbert, then you may well enjoy this book as a companion text. Dilbert concentrates on technical issues. Sturgeon broadens the scope to most any type of company. Chances are, you might already be familiar with most of the terms. But perhaps not with the spin given in the book.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Every term you ever wanted to know but were afraid to ask, June 9, 2005
This review is from: Green Weenies and Due Diligence: Insider Business Jargon-Raw, Serious and Sometimes Funny (Hardcover)
Ron Sturgeon has accomplished far more than he set out to do in writing this creative, imaginative, and thoroughly entertaining book: not only has he unraveled the secret terminology of the powerful Inner America of Big Business, he has served it up in an astute and often hilarious parody of how the Big Guys talks.
Using a format that is incisive yet instructional, Sturgeon's GREEN WEENIES AND DUE DILIGENCE unearths the phrases and terms that make the corporate world sting and defines them then uses them in examples that not only are suitable but also poignant. From 'Alpha Dog' to 'Pencil Whip' to 'Nibbled by ducks' and 'Three finger booger' Sturgeon whips out the phrases like a pro. His lists are alphabetically arranged - a fact that allows the neophyte at the boardroom table to utilize this knowledgeable manual sub rosa while appearing to pay attention to the gobbledygook topside.
Though some of the terms (no, many of them!) are hilarious out of context, they can be vitriolic in context and most assuredly enhance the readers' view of how the corporate mind works. To add to the success of the book, Sturgeon has enlisted the brilliant artist Gahan Wilson to make the whole book visually exciting. This is a treasure map to the jargon of the tall steel palaces that mastermind the workings of us all. Welcome to it and Bravo to Sturgeon for an ingenious concept well done! Highly recommended. Grady Harp, June 05
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A primer on the secret language of business-speak, June 9, 2005
This review is from: Green Weenies and Due Diligence: Insider Business Jargon-Raw, Serious and Sometimes Funny (Hardcover)
No one wants to seem ignorant or take a chance on looking foolish - especially in front of men and women who have a hand in keeping your monthly paycheck coming in as well as advancing your career. The problem is that business has a language of its own, full of colloquialisms, acronyms, and expressions that were probably never even mentioned in business school. The new employee looking to get ahead needs to absorb as much information as possible - but without looking like a newbie. You can't just interrupt a business meeting to ask the speaker what in the world he meant by some odd phrase. Maybe, if you have a co-worker you feel comfortable talking to, you can find answers there. If not, where can you turn?
Those entering the business world no longer have to negotiate the lingo ropes the hard way, as Ron Sturgeon has taken it upon himself to compile a whole book's worth of business jargon that will demystify some of the strange expressions you are likely to hear as you begin your journey up the ladder to success. Green Weenies and Due Diligence defines over 1200 terms, any number of which you are likely to hear at some point in the corporate environment. The book is broken up into two main sections: Green Weenies contains the more humorous sayings, while Due Diligence features much more serious content. Many of the humorous expressions really are quite funny; I know I plan on including some of them in my personal repertoire so as to amuse (or mystify) family and friends.
Who knew that businessmen were so witty? They've really come up with some really good material that hits the mark surprisingly well. You'll be familiar with some of these terms already: e.g., herding cats, whistling past the graveyard, the light's on but nobody's home; others are just plain common sense when you hear them. Chances are, though, that a lot of these terms and expressions will be unfamiliar to you. Several are a little on the raw side, but Sturgeon points out that he's just reporting what he has heard in his own business dealings.
You may well recognize some of your co-workers and/or managers in the jargon related to employee types and operations. Among the other general topics addressed in the humorous section are strategic issues, sales and marketing, contracts and technology, and acquisitions and divestitures (a really ripe field for business jargon).
Obviously, the first section is a more entertaining read, but the Due Diligence section contains short and effective definitions of some pretty complicated, technical concepts related to important fields such as investments, accounting, taxation, banking, real estate, insurance, and business planning. Normally, this would be very dry material, but Sturgeon makes it interesting - as well as informative. Unlike your basic business dictionary, this section of the book won't put you to sleep - and I daresay you'll find much clearer definitions here than you will in any stuffy old business dictionary. Sturgeon's not your corporate suit-type; he's a self-made man who knows how to communicate on a level that even laymen can grasp.
Alongside the text itself, this book is also blessed with numerous illustrations by Gahan Wilson. These distinctive illustrations really add a great deal to the reading experience. The bottom line is that Green Weenies and Due Diligence is as entertaining as it is informative. Anyone in the business world, from the rookie just out of college to the CEO wanting to brush up on the slang of a younger generation of business leaders, can truly benefit from the knowledge compiled in these pages. It is important to note that the utility of this book also extends to those outside the business community, as well. A significant number of the humorous expressions make their way into all walks of life - in my opinion, this book has information anyone can benefit from.
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