Careers and life can have many twists and turns. The external environment constantly changes and these changes are beyond the control of most of us. Sometimes we have to alter our careers and our goals in order to survive. Change, however, creates opportunities and we must prepare ourselves to be ready to seize opportunities that come our way.

Dr. Jack Kushner's story reads like another version of Forrest Gump. He was present when civil rights history was made in the South with Rosa Parks. He grew up and played street football with Bart Starr. He volunteered for surgical service in Vietnam. And he was a doctor in the ER when four little girls, victims of the horrible church bombing, were brought in. He has experienced all of these events and more in his fascinating life in addition to making important changes in his careers throughout his life. He believes that to survive and thrive in life, it is imperative to differentiate yourself to be competitive in today's challenging marketplace. In "Coping Successfully with Changing Tides and Winds," Kushner offers practical advice to anyone facing job loss or changes.

By the time the floodwaters receded in early September of 2005 after the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina, Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, had suffered losses of $650 million. School administrators were faced with the daunting task of rebuilding. Seeking direction, the staff looked to the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and its renewal efforts after it was destroyed by fire by Union forces during the Civil War in 1865.

In When Universities are Destroyed, author Jack Kushner describes the destruction of each university and compares each institution's efforts to overcome adversity, rebuild, and once again provide education to its students. Kushner details how Tulane University cleaned up from the hurricane, and with the adroit leadership of President Scott Cowen, reopened six months later. This history book also shows how the reconstruction period in the South delayed the rebuilding of the University of Alabama.

Examining both the similarities and differences between the two universities, When Universities are Destroyed provides a vivid picture of how Tulane University and the University of Alabama faced the destruction of their campus and found the fortitude to move forward.

Careers and life can have many twists and turns. The external environment constantly changes and these changes are beyond the control of most of us. Sometimes we have to alter our careers and our goals in order to survive. Change, however, creates opportunities and we must prepare ourselves to be ready to seize opportunities that come our way.

Dr. Jack Kushner's story reads like another version of Forrest Gump. He was present when civil rights history was made in the South with Rosa Parks. He grew up and played street football with Bart Starr. He volunteered for surgical service in Vietnam. And he was a doctor in the ER when four little girls, victims of the horrible church bombing, were brought in. He has experienced all of these events and more in his fascinating life in addition to making important changes in his careers throughout his life. He believes that to survive and thrive in life, it is imperative to differentiate yourself to be competitive in today's challenging marketplace. In "Coping Successfully with Changing Tides and Winds," Kushner offers practical advice to anyone facing job loss or changes.