Absolute Beginner's Guide to Project Management

I've read 10 books on PM in the last 3 years. Without a doubt this is the most practical one I've read. It takes PM theory and goes much further than other beginner's guides to actually telling you how to do apply the theory in the real world. The mind maps are particularly good. I have used these maps extensively for operations staff training and brain storming for phase planning. Highly recommended reading.

I think what makes this book stand out from all the others is how well the information is laid out for the reader. This is definitely a great starting point for a PM beginner. However, I think it's also an outstanding reference guide for those that have been in the field of project management for many years. Anyone that has read the PMBOK or other PM books knows that the material can become overwhelming when it's not communicated clearly. This book does an outstanding job of making the topic easy to understand. I wish this book had been around when I was starting in this field, and even studying for the PMP exam. I highly recommend it! Emelee Mitchum, PMP

If you're either a new project manager (without PM training), or somebody interested or involved in project management, then this book is for you. I've read the Project Management Institute's Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) cover to cover and I honestly don't know how I prevented myself from going to sleep. This book, on the other hand, is the most exciting book I've ever read about project management. Greg's 16 years of experience is evident in his writing. Get this book, read it and before you know it, you're on your way to become a better project manager.

I enjoyed this book. It is jam-packed with theories and a wealth of practical experiences and lessons learned. This book is very comprehensive and goes beyond the catchy series title of "Absolute Beginner's Guide". I particularly found the Tip/Note/Caution pop-up style side-bars amusing and very helpful (I cheated and read them first before every page). Some of these pop-ups are very insightful (e.g. Caution: Page 32 - "A good project manager can still end up managing and delivering a troubled project"). The summary/review section entitled "The Absolute Minimum", at the end of every chapter, is a very smart and practical method to review what the previous chapter was all about. This book goes beyond the mechanics of pure project management. As an example, in Chapter 16 "Leading a Project" this book discusses leadership, techniques and success factors. The "Servant Leadership" approach is extremely effective and I am also very glad that someone had already named it and documented it as early as 1970. Job very well done. This book is HIGHLY recommended for beginners and experts alike. Marwan F. Zakaria, PMP

This book is a must have for anyone in project management. It is easy to understand, presented well, and will benefit people of all experience levels. Greg clearly knows what he is talking about and should be teaching courses on project management. I only wish I had this book when I was in that business!