Commercials Books

I have loved this book since a Kodiak fishermen gave it to me to read in 1995 (thanks Andy, sorry I wasn't able to return it!). Unlike Deadliest Catch, this book chronicles almost every kind of fishery in Alaska as Hank arrives as a wide eyed greenhorn in the 60's and then proceeds to try them all (halibut, crab, salmon, shrimp). Not only the fisheries but the canneries as well where he works his way up to manager before deciding to become a crab fisherman. The characters in this novel are rough, tough, and colorful and we steadily follow Hank's progress as he carves a life for himself in Alaska through hard work, suffering, and an insatiable love of the ocean. You will also learn about the politics behind fishing and how American fishermen had to compete angrily with the Russians and Japanese for the very same fishing grounds before 200 mile limits were imposed. McCloskey is not only a great educator but a great story teller as well. This is not just a text book, this is a gripping novel that you will simply not be able to put down. He will take you through the great Alaskan earthquake, the tsunami following it, and survival in a life raft in the frigid Bering Sea. If you love Alaskan commercial fishing, this is definitely the book for you. As McCloskey says, its the last true American frontier.

I enjoyed reading this book very much. I did find some of the details a bit tedious & boring...BUT the details really made the story SO realistic! I'll finish Breakers (#2 sequel) tonight & start Raiders (#3 sequel) immediately after. It is hard to believe that Hank & company are fictitious. If you enjoy watching "Deadliest Catch", (on the Discovery Channel), you'll love his books.

If you have watched and enjoyed the Discovery Channel series "The Deadliest Catch", this book is a must read.
William McCloskey uses the hero, Hank Crawford as a vehicle for telling the story of commercial fishing in Alaska. The author alternates chapters of fiction with chapters of fact.
If Hank Crawford goes `crabbing', the next chapter is filled with facts concerning the various species of crabs, their life cycle and of gear used to catch them. This is typical of Hank's work in a cannery, and fishing for various species of fish. These chapters are not dull, but just as well written as the fictional parts.
Did you know that one of a Halibut's eye moves from one side of the head to the other, and how this fish can wreck havoc on deck? It's just one of the many facts covered in this book.
Going back to the "Deadliest Catch" series; McCloskey's description of the Russian Orthodox Church, with its twin domes comes alive when you see it in the video. It's like this book was the screenplay for the series.

This is a great work of fiction by the author that follows the main character Hank Crawford who comes from college to go to work at a salmon cannery for Swede Scorden in kodiak with the story following along as hank moves from opportunity to opportunity on fishing boats that catch salmon king crab shrimp and hailbut this describes also many of the characters he works with and comes in contact with and even though this is fiction seems to be right with all info about commerical fishing compared to books i have read on the real thing. This is a great book and i definitely recommend its sequel Breakers.

I make my living teaching about commercial fishing. I am glad to see this book still in print so I can continue to recommend it to my students. It is, by far, the most entertaining and historically accurate account of Southwest Alaska and fishing from the 50's to the 70's. It should be required reading for anyone who fishes crab, salmon, and groundfish out there. Bill is a great writer, and this book is more or less his own experience. It is good for both its historical accuracy and the personal story of what is was like to see our fisheries develop to what they are today. He continues to come here and go out on boats to learn and write more. There is no else one who has the combination of great writing skill and experience in these fisheries, and this book is well worth reading. You will enjoy the story, you will learn something, and you will want to be Bill McCloskey (and live through it, like he did).

STOP reading this, if you haven't yet gone thru Invincible: The Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1 or INVINCIBLE, Vols. 1-3 (FAMILY MATTERS, EIGHT IS ENOUGH, and PERFECT STRANGERS).

As Invincible, teenager Mark Grayson may be one of the most powerful superheroes on the planet, but Robert Kirkman writes him as such a likable, down-to-earth kid that you find yourself easily relating to him. INVINCIBLE is one of the best comics going on out there today. You're really, really missing out if you haven't yet checked out this title. Anyway, about INVINCIBLE ULTIMATE COLLECTION, Vol. 2...

As we found out in the previous volume, Omni-Man (the erstwhile Defender of Democracy) turns out to be a humongous super-villain. Having confessed to his son Invincible (and, unwittingly, to the rest of the world) his true goal of conquering the Earth for his home planet of Viltrium, Omni-Man ends up beating the living snot out of Invincible in a cataclysmic battle and then blasts off into deep space, leaving his son in critical condition. The betrayal leaves Mark and his mom in deep shock, and their coping mechanisms kick in. Mark's mom takes to drinking and passing out on the couch; Mark internalizes everything.

One immediate fallout to Omni-man turning traitor is that Invincible becomes an agent of a top, top, top secret government agency. As such, Mark is directed to various trouble spots around the world where his powers would be put to best use. This frequently keeps him on the move, and soon Mark's girlfriend Amber is getting fed up with the chronic lateness, abrupt departures, and frequent absences (she suspects him of drug-dealing). Yet one more repercussion to Omni-man's betrayal is that Invincible is instantly regarded with suspicion by a few in the superhero community (*cough*theImmortal*cough*).

Averting disasters, saving lives, beating up on the bad guys, picking up the pieces of his life. Then there's school. An alien invasion causes a delay in the graduation of Mark's high school senior class, after which Mark only has two weeks to prepare for his first day in college.

Writer Robert Kirkman keeps it real, or as real as he can get in the world of comic books. From the get-go, this comic book has kept it coming with unexpected twists and stories that are fresh and so enjoyable to read. Kirkman offers up offbeat takes on superhero conventions. He's already taken characters who were clearly based on recognizable DC superheroes and made them (or what happened to them) integral to the story (of course, I'm talking about the Guardians of the Globe). I'd like to think that Kirkman's characters, for the most part, behave just as real people would if put in the same abnormal circumstances. I like that Kirkman doesn't resort to Clark Kent-ism, where a disguise becomes impenetrable by virtue of donning a pair of glasses. Two of the folks who know of Mark's dual identities actually figured it out on their own. Heck, even one villain saw thru the costume and instantly recognized Invincible's civilian identity. Given, that was Mark's evil physics teacher (see ULTIMATE COLLECTION Vol. 1), so he already knew Mark.

With the wild success of the comic book (it's about to hit the issue #50 landmark), Kirkman gets even more diligent about building his Invincible universe. I love numerous sub-plots, love that feeling of stuff always happening, with more stuff waiting just around the corner. Kirkman weaves in boatloads of sub-plots. Lessee, in no particular order, there's that ill-fated expedition to Mars (the endpage of which lets you know more will be heard from this); there's the Titan-turning-over-a-new-leaf arc; the continuing machinations of the dimension-hopping Angstrom Levy; the one with the Reanimen; and there's that issue devoted to Allen the Alien, which gets us closer to the monster Viltrumite arc.

Kirkman invests more time into the supporting cast, fleshing out characters such as Robot (awesome!), Monster Girl, and Allen the cyclopic alien (also awesome). Mark's mom gets more face time and meets a friend with whom she shares a common ground. Even the guy who makes superhero suits is developed further. Also more on Mark's lovelife, more on his best bud William's love life, and even on Atom Eve's lovelife. Because, c'mon, who doesn't dig teen romance in a teen title?

I love the seemingly throwaway touches. What Mark does with his graduation cap (the same cap, which, by the way, turns up in a later issue); his mom packing him lunch on his Mars excursion, and what happens with that. I like the fact that Kirkman isn't shy about involving his characters in heart-to-heart dialogues. #22 and #0 are two of my favorites, two issues which consist mostly of dialogue, stemming from Amber and Mark's heading-downhill relationship. And, in issue #23, Kirkman shows why Allen the Alien is such a popular character.

The art? Ryan Ottley, who took over from Cory Walker back in issue #8, boasts pencils and inks that are visually compelling and elegant in its simplicity. In all this, Ottley retains much of Cory Walker's style. Credit, too, to Bill Crabtree, who with his crisp coloring definitely adds to the clean look of INVINCIBLE.

INVINCIBLE: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION, Vol. 2 collects issues #14-24, #0, and a story from IMAGE COMICS SUMMER SPECIAL #1. Brief origins of Monster Girl, Rex Splode, the Immortal, Dupli-Kate, and Atom Eve are also included. As a bonus, there's a ton of sketches with commentary by Kirkman, as well as the script to issue #23. By the way, if you already own INVINCIBLE, Vol. 4 - HEAD OF THE CLASS and Vol. 5 - THE FACTS OF LIFE, then you basically already have the issues reprinted in this Ultimate Collection Hardcover.

Otherwise, go get this one.

I have really grown to love this series. It is Spider man, meets the good parts of Justice league. It is fun, and awesome. I highly recommend it.

The book got here quick, packaged well and in great shape. What more is there to say.

Invincible is quickly becoming one of my favorite comics, the art, pacing, characterization and plot are all very solid. It has a great cast of characters and has something new to say about superheroes.

The only reason this collection does not get 5 stars is it ends on a very abruct note. While some collections focus on including an entire story arc, this one ends halfway through a story and leaves literally dozens of subplots hanging.

In this second hardcover collecting Robert Kirkman's Invincible Volumes 3 & 4 (issues 14 - 24 and Origins) we see Mark Grayson maturing into the world's soon-to-be most powerful superhero. After the climactic and disturbing events in the first collection where Mark discovered the truth about his father our hero is left to figure out things for himself. Without the guidance of his super-parent Invincible sets off for college and starts working for Cecil Steadman and the government, which pits Mark against villains and monsters capable of mocking his superhero monicker by actually hurting and beating him. Relationship troubles with Amber and his Mom who is still dealing with his dad's absence put a strain on Mark's life that not even his superpowers can alleviate (a la Spider-man). I am glad to say that I enjoy this comic because of the fact that Invincible is, strangely enough, NOT invincible. Sure, Mark doesn't have a weakness like Kryptonite, and can't be hurt by conventional weapons, but other supers can with a bit of trying inflict some damage upon him, either by thrashing him physically or going after his loved ones, showing that a secret identity is not as easy to hide as in the Superman universe. Kirkman handles his character much like Alan Moore handled Miracle Man all those years ago, pointing out that even the most invulnerable of beings has limits, and that the world does not always recover when these creatures cut loose. Often violent and bloody, the Invincible comics in this collection also contain moments of tenderness and genuine feeling between characters that make each story addictively readable and leaves you begging for more.

Jack Peckham shares so much valuable knowledge in this book you are crazy if you don't buy it. Jack is one of the special people in the commercial real estate industry. He is always trying to share his vast knowledge and skills to make people better. Thank you Jack.

There is no doubt that Jack knows commercial real estate and Jack knows the Internet. So if you want to improve your knowledge about Income Property Brokerage and Online Marketing, do not hesitate to buy this resource. When you can learn from someone who has walked the path before, you know you are getting valuable information directly from the horse's mouth. This is one of those rare events. Jack's steps and tips worked for him and they can work for you.

Stefan Swanepoel
Thirteen time author including
Real Estate confronts Reality (1997) Real Estate confronts the Future (2004) and Swanepoel Trends Report (2007)

Mr. Peckman methodically and clearly outlines the details and keys to make the move into Income Property Brokerage a success.

It's always nice when you learn from someone who has gone through the steps to reach success and isn't reluctant to share them with you and can do so in a mentoring kind of way.

Highly recommended.

I had the opportunity to preview this book just before its publication. If you are either running or starting a commercial real estate brokerage, this book is a must-have! I personally am using much of this book to take my relatively small real estate brokerage to a new level. Great ideas go along with many pragmatic and practical tips. I refer to this book often in my staff meetings.

Couldn't put this one down. An absolute must read for any realtor considering commercial real estate. Its chock full of great information. I read this cover to cover in one day!!! I highly recommend this one...its fresh, its current for today's industry, and you'd be foolish to miss out on the information inside!!! Mistersold!!! says A+++++

This book covers all areas you may need to run your operation and then some. It includes everything from menu planning and the proper equipment needed to marketing, how to hire good employees and how to handle inspectors. No aspect is missed. No matter what area you are concentrating on, it is covered in this book. From colleges and churches to prisons and nursing homes. It even includes a history lesson on the non-commercial food service industry. Being able to know these little facts will impress clients and vendors.
The authors even advise on programs to look for when purchasing a computer to run your operation and how to design an attractive Web site. It's a step by step guide for someone just starting out in the industry. The authors clearly break down the many, many aspects of the operation. Even offering advice on how to spice up the menu (roast beef becomes succulent roast beef with Au Jus and peaches become yellow cling peach slices.
Although the size of the book may seem overwhelming at first, it's less intimidating when you realize that about half of it is useful charts and forms. All are extremely detailed and helpful. Most you will want to copy or tweak a bit and use. You will probably want to take notes or have a highlighter handy while reading this book.

Many books claim to be the end all be all when it comes to instructing managers and preparing them to lead a team in the food service industry. None of them compares to The Non-Commercial Food Service Manager's Handbook. It is a step by step guide to every part of managing any non-commercial food service industry, whether it's a church, a prison, a nursing home or even the military. I have never seen a more complete and thorough explanation of what is required of a manager. With its in-depth explanation of money management, menu planning, purchasing and inventory, food handling, safety and literally dozens of other necessary components to being an effective manager I highly recommend this book for anyone looking into management as a career.

The food industry is something that is increasingly under scrutiny for new legislation whether on the type of food served, or the conditions under which it's prepared. Anyone who is taking on a management role in a non-commercial establishment such as in a nursing home, or is perhaps considering setting up their own catering business supplying food for companies will find this is THE book that will not only get their business up and running, but will do so in such a way that it should run smoothly and successfully.

The book is a comprehensive guide to the non-commercial food industry. It covers everything from the basics of what a non-commercial food service is, right through how to set up accounts, the kind of equipment you should have, how to hire employees, statutes you must adhere to, marketing and so on. Everything you could possibly need to know in order to run a non-commercial food service is right at your finger tips. Everything is set out in a logical manner so that you can either read it right through before even starting your business, or use it as a reference guide to dip into when you need to know something once you are established.

At over 600 pages, it's quite a hefty book, but the style of writing flows easily and the print is eye-friendly so that the amount of pages and sheer volume of material presented in it isn't as off-putting as it could be!

Accompanying the book is a CD that contains the forms presented in the book in a ready to use format. This makes the book not only a great reference manual for the industry, but also a hands-on guide to get either started, or better organized in your business.

There would be a lot more people with the confidence to start up their own businesses if there were more "how to" manuals like this one!

Have you ever been in a hospital during lunch time but were afraid to try the food? We've all experienced bad cuisine at places like hospitals, schools and churches, but after reading The Non-Commercial Food Service Manager's Handbook by Douglas Robert Brown and Shri Henkel, I realized that it doesn't have to be that way. If you're a food service manager, then this is the book you can't live without.

It discusses real issues like bookkeeping, operational expenses, necessary computer programs, endless menu ideas, recipe costs, inventory, equipment, packaging, nutritional information, delegation tips, kitchen cleanliness, equipment, first aid, inspections, dishwashing, and food storage. Nothing is overlooked, not even the signs of food allergies, customer service issues, marketing and advertising, catering, taste testing surveys, personnel issues, and surprisingly - how to deal with kickbacks from vendors.

I love the fact that it discusses the history of food service - going back to the time of chuck wagons - and how it provides checklists, forms, employee quizzes, and actual case studies. After reading this book I not only was hungry, but was looking forward to my next meal at a hospital cafeteria.

The Non-Commercial Food Service Manager's Handbook by Douglas Robert Brown and Shri Hinkel is a solid reference source which would be indispensable to a new manager and a helpful resource to even the most seasoned veteran.

It effectively covers all the bases for this niche, with everything included from history and menu planning to quality control, labeling regulations, employees and marketing. Filled with numerous checklists and questionnaires, restaurant managers can easily tailor their plans and ideas to best suit their specific needs, whether their restaurant is part of a church, school or prison. It offers numerous reference sources, both on and offline, for further research as needed.

In so thorough a publication, it would be nice to see some information or links on the many non-commercial restaurants that also grow some of their own food onsite, benefitting their bottom line as well as the residents, workers and patrons. Other than this slight omission, it could easily be called the bible of the industry.

This just might be the most awesome book about my hometown of NYC. The artwork is fabulous and this book is put together so well. Its shown me things I never saw. I think being a tourist in your own town is great.

I'll disregard the book's one glaring omission--Saarinen's TWA Terminal at JFK is not included--and give it a five. Well written.

and come back and sit and look at this book.

Bet you missed a lot on each street.

Then go out again and do it all over.

A real treat.

The title might have been 1,000 of the BEST buildings in New York City. No city in America, and few the world over, contain the mind-boggling ensemble of outstanding urban architecture, both historic and modern, as does New York City. This city is a national and world treasure, and all of Manhattan SHOULD be a UNESCO World Heritage site, but, alas... There's simply no comparison possible. This book is a survey of 1,000 outstanding structures in the city, properly chosen in my opinion, each including a black & white photograph and short descriptive essay. With so much wonderful material from which to choose, the book is a real feast of architectural goodness! Because it isn't as exhaustive as White & Willensky, it is more thorough in coverage of the selected buildings. It's well put together. Good buildings. Nice photography. Well written short essays. Covers the five boroughs well.

America's peninsular cities; San Francisco, New York, Charleston and Boston also happen to contain the best architecture. Hmm...

Every once in a while I'll walk down a street of my busy city and spot a building that I'd never seen before, or, if I had seen it, never paid it much mind. But something about it--its age or its architecture--tells me that there's a story to be told about it. Judith Dupre, Bill Harris, and photographer Jorg Brockmann in their monumental book, "One Thousand New York Buildings", fill in the gaps left behind in the AIA books.

There are hundreds of buildings that, for whatever reason, have escaped landmark status and/or the attention of New Yorkers. Although "One Thousand New York Buildings" does discuss the familiar structures, like the Empire State Building, the Woolworth Building, and Grand Central Station, it also devotes equal time to those that have been ignored or overlooked. What are those tiny, Colonial style houses on Harrison and Greenwich Streets? How old is that building at 2 White Street? Who lived in those somber buildings at 130-132 MacDougal Street? "One Thousand New York Buildings" answers these and hundreds of other questions. In this sense, this book is much like "New York Streetscapes: Tales of Manhattan's Significant Buidlings and Landmarks" by Christopher Gray and Suzanne Braley, in as much as it pays equal tribute to the famous and not so famous structures.

One last note, this is a solidly put together book. The binding is sturdy, the paper thick and glossy, and the photos are clear and intriguing. It as well constructed as the buildings they pay homage to.

Populuxe describes the postwar era from 1955-1964 when American consumerism reached its fullest expression. Since that time we have just recycled and re-invented that period's concepts and trends. Mr. Hines points to the product launch of the 1955 Chevy as marking the beginning, as it was the first mid-price car with tailfins, terminating with the staleness of the "future" presented at the 1964 World's Fair that came in the months after the crushing blow of JFK's assassination.

Thomas Hine describes the era as one that simultaneously looked back to the old west and to a space age future. The old west was a useful paradigm because it brought to mind the pioneer spirit; the sense of self-invention involved and the space age came with the atom bomb, sputnik and the astronauts. Fueled by sudden prosperity, shaped by sophisticated advertising and product marketing, embraced by an American middle class rich with dollars and plenty of leisure, it was the time of ever-growing tail fins on cars, the latest kitchen gadget and exuberant roadside architecture.

While the book would be highly enjoyable just for the descriptions of the products and trends of those times as well as the treasure trove of classic photos, Mr. Hines does more than that. He shows how the tenets of consumerism were laid out in this time; from feeding people a readymade identity through the products they purchased to creating new markets by fulfilling consumers desires rather than their needs. A toaster was no longer a machine that grilled bread. It was a space aged accessory that told its purchaser that he or she was pioneer in the land of tomorrow.

Hine's book is a meticulously researched, wonderfully illustrated work on how the American mindset of the 1950s and 1960s created both the consumer culture and the physical environment in which it thrives. All of this is masquerading as an enjoyable, nostalgic, amusement park ride through the world of split-level houses, tail finned cars, and orange Naugahyde-upholstered furniture. It's a fun read for all baby boomers as well as for any of their children who are trying to figure out why their parents think pink and green go together. By the way, I also recommend this book to any Europeans trying to understand American culture. Read this and the short story "The Concrete Mixer" by Ray Bradbury and you'll understand why McDonalds and Wal-Mart can't be stopped.

While the colorful plastic and steel designs of the '50's and '60's lacked the beauty of the bronze and silk Art Deco styles of the '20' s and '30's, they are still full of a spirit of fun and excitement.

Before Thomas Hine invented the term "Populuxe," the hopeful designs found in '50's and '60's fashion, furniture, architecture and automobiles were linked with the Space Age, the mighty atom, Rock 'n' Roll, and a nation in love with its wheels. Looking toward a bright future helped the Western world bear the reality of the shadow of Communism. As a guy with dim memories of this era I can say that this book is great fun to read with plenty of vintage pictures and insight into how the Space Age came to be and what it all meant.

I found this book in college, used as a text for the Industrial Design dept. I was a Criminal Justice major myself, but found this a great look at American culture.

This book could be a blueprint for the whimsical looks at the 50's seen on History Channel documentaries.

Hines book is a fun, unpretentious look at the times that led to the designs. It is refreshing that the author didn't take the easy route and simply churn out a tome laundry listing trends simply to make fun of them. The book shows a great understanding and admiration of the industrial art of the era without any pretense or hubris

Hine's work is a meticulously researched, wonderfully illustrated work on how the American mindset of the 1950s and 1960s created both the consumer culture and the physical environment in which it thrives. All of this is masquerading as an enjoyable, nostalgic, amusement park ride through the world of split-level houses, tail finned cars, and orange Naugahyde-upholstered furniture. It's a fun read for all baby boomers as well as for any of their children who are trying to figure out why their parents think pink and green go together. By the way, I also recommend this book to any Europeans trying to understand American culture. Read this and the short story "The Concrete Mixer" by Ray Bradbury and you'll understand while McDonalds and Wal-Mart can't be stopped.

Salmon Without Rivers is a great book of historical facts. It includes many issues like; original salmon locations/populations, "Economy over Environment" issues, and the ineffectiveness of large decision making commissions/agencies. However, with all his good background information the book does not propose any solutions nor investigates today's coastal human communities as they relate to the salmon and/or habitat.

This is a must read book for anyone interested in salmon, rivers and the ecology and history of the Pacific Northwest. Excellent information and a good read.

This is an excellent book that documents the history of salmon, how native Americans viewed them and how modern Americans view them. It focuses on why the pacific northwest is facing a salmon crisis, and our failed attempts to replace what we have lost. Great read for anyone who is concerned about environmental issues.

A thoroughly researched and impassioned presentation including the history of salmon, their decline, why billions of tax dollars in restoration efforts have had paltry returns, and insights into the where we should go from here. A complex issue is examined from many perspectives in an easy to read and compelling book. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in salmon.

As a freelance author writing a piece about salmon for a California-based magazine, this book was indispensible and eye-opening. It is unfailingly sensitive and intelligent about salmon, discussing the fish as fellow creatures in the "natural economy" in which we all live, rather than as mere commodities in the "industrial economy" that has transformed the West in the last 150 years. It is fascinating about the geology that shaped the salmon's environment, the evolutionary history of the fish, the relationship between Native Americans and salmon in the Northwest, and it provides a detailed history of the many factors that have led to the salmon's decline, including habitat destruction, misbegotten hatchery programs, overfishing, dams, mining, grazing, irrigation. If you like to read books about ecology, the creatures of the earth, fish, or the Northwest--you can't go wrong. This is a wonderful book.

so you want to go freelance... you really, REALLY want to go freelance? Tired of working for a boss? Want your own hours? Sleep late? Get this book, read it and then decide. It'll give you a well-rounded education of what they don't tell you in art school because what your professors were really interested in at that time wasn't your education, but getting a piece of co-ed you-know-what while they collected their paycheck.

I really liked this book a lot. It was a very good first-hand book written by a small business owner about his experiences starting, managing, and prospering as a freelance illustrator and/or graphic designer. His writing style was not exactly stellar. But it certainly was clear. The 20 chapters included in the book fell into the following 4 topics:

1. STARTING THE FIRM
>>Where Do You Start?
>>Off on the Right Foot
>>Creating a Plan for Your Business
>>Developing Your Financial Plans
>>Forms, Charts & Templates
>>Pricing Your Work and Getting Paid

2. MANAGING THE FIRM
>>Why Should You Freelance?
>>Setting Up Shop
>>Managing Your New Studio

3. RAINMAKING FOR THE FIRM
>>Bring in Clients
>>How to Get Noticed
>>What Goes in the Portfolio
>>Marketing on the Web

4. POSSIBLE MARKETS
>>The Magazine Market
>>Selling to the Newspapers
>>Working with Advertising Agencies
>>Selling to Book Publishers
>>The Greeting Card Market
>>Working with Art and Design Studios
>>Selling to Small Business

Since I am not an illustrator or a graphic designer I did not have much use for the fourth topic. But it was interesting to read about. I regularly counsel wanta-be entrepreneurs about how to start a small business; I'm a volunteer SCORE counselor. And the material covered in the first three topics above are exactly what I talk about with my SCORE clients. I highly recommend this book to anybody wanting to start their own small consulting practice. It does a wonderful job discussing the topics.

My biggest complaint with the book is the tendency of the author to recommend outsourcing so many functions: accounting, taxes, and Web site design and construction. I think these things should be fully understood by the small business owner and probably done by the owner herself. When the business grows to have a few employees, then the employees can do those tasks if the owner wants to do that.

I would have written the section on choice of business structure differently. Keep in mind that LLCs can be either single member or multi member. An LLC can elect to be taxed as a sole proprietorship (single member), a partnership (multi member), or a C Corporation. Also, a multi member LLC will have to file a partnership tax return. A good book on the subject that I recommend you read to supplement this book is Structuring Your Business (ISBN: 1593371772). I highly recommend forming an LLC and electing to have it taxed as a C Corporation. Just give yourself a bonus at year-end so the corporation retains no earnings. If your business is a corporation it is less likely to be audited by the IRS. 5 stars!

I love this book! It's great for those just starting up and has covered each aspect of becoming a freelancer. Each time something has come up, I referenced this book and found the answers! Highly recommended!

At first, I had heard that this author talks "down" to the illustrator when he is explaining things, but this book I actually found very helpful, true to life and there weren't any sugar coatings. I enjoyed how he wrote and he put things into perspective, he didn't talk down.

This is simply one of the best books for starting a freelance art career that I've ever read. This book gives you very practical information about almost every detail of freelance illustration and graphic design. You'll find information on creating business and financial plans, setting up and managing a studio, billing procedures, creating a portfolio and marketing yourself to potential clients. I find a lot of books of this nature don't talk about the raw mechanics of business so much as they offer token inspiration and motivation. If you're interested in a book that will actually give you useful information about the business side of freelancing this is the one to buy.

The only areas where it seemed to be a little on the thin side were dealing with taxes and the legal issues concerned with working for youself. Other than that it was wonderful.

Street Smart Advertising is a great book. I used it for one of my classes and it really helped me to improve my creative thinking and execution. This book includes many visual and real-life examples, which makes it really easy to understand. Such as the changing ads that are placed atop NYC taxi cabs. This book covers everything, from A-Z, that one needs to know in the creative field. Berman also included a handy advertising glossary. I recommend this book to anyone who is in the creative field or longs to tap into their creative potential.

This book has all the bases covered. From mind exercises to amazing campaigns, Street Smart Advertising gives creatives the tools needed to take their ideas to the next level. When sitting stumped and uninspired this is the book to turn to in order to get those juices flowing. It may sound like I'm really talking it up, but it has prevented me from throwing my laptop, quiting my job, or basically giving up thinking all together. Perhaps I've gone to far, but trust me...this is a good one.

Margo Berman's enthusiasm and expertise for creativity and advertising really shine through on every page of this book. As someone who is very knowedgable about marketing but not so much about advertising, this book really added to my knowledge. It has served as a great resource over and over again. If you are interested in reading it front cover to back page, you can and you will learn much from the real-life "street smart" examples. The exercises help you apply the information. However what I find most useful about the book is that each chapter stands up by itself. I read the material and do the exercises and really feel I understand the material. It is like a mini-course in each chapter. Thanks again Margo for providing so much of you in this book!

Street-Smart Advertising features great tips and fun pointers which can be applied first-hand to the real world, or more specifically, the world of Advertising. It makes one believe the unthinkable is thinkable. The hands-on exercises lets you apply it to real life in the most creative and unimaginable way. Berman's book is an informative pocket guide that is straight-forward, easy to read, understand and most importantly, apply to the real world. I highly recommend this book to anyone feeling a lack of creativity; this book will let all the ideas your brain never knew you had shine through in the most creative and entertaining ways possible.

Street-Smart Advertising offers invaluable insight and expertise into the world of creative advertising. An interesting read from beginning to end, it expresses the ins and outs of advertising through understandable diction and useful tips on how to get the most out of the industry. From creative and interesting advertising examples to helpful exercises, Street-Smart Advertising is a must for anybody interested in learning more about the creative, fun side of advertising. One of the most fun and perceptive books I've read on the subject to date.

I first read this book early in my private pilot training, many years ago. Needless to say, I did not really understand what I was reading. Coming back to it now, with a number of additional ratings and many more hours of flight time to my name, was a revelation. Almost on every page, I found myself saying, "Yes, that's how it is." Buck really knows what he is talking about, whether it be ice, thunderstorms, turbulence, or transitioning from instruments to visual on the approach. Taking to heart what Buck has to say will first and foremost help you to survive as a pilot by making good weather decisions. Just as importantly, he imparts a great deal of wisdom on how to get maximum utility from the airplane while keeping risk to a low level. However, as indicated earlier, the book is definitely not for beginners. A solid understanding of basic meteorology and a considerable amount of piloting experience are needed to interpret it correctly--and safely.

As a CFI I have numerous books in my aviation library. This book details flying in weather and the mindset required to be a safe and competent instrument pilot.

Recommeded to me by my instructor after I received my instrument rating I now recommend it to students and associates whenever the subject of flying in weather (or not flying in weather) comes up.

I read Northstar Over My Shoulder prior to buying this book so I had an understanding of Captain Buck's history and experience which added weight to the wisdom obvious in Weather Flying (buy that book too!)

Not a lesson on meteorology; more of a lesson on judgment and decision-making. In other words, how does one deal with the weather? What does one do with the information one has?
Bob Buck is a man of authority, vast knowledge and experience when it comes to weather flying. His advice is, therefore, not to be taken lightly.
The book is readable, Buck writes "as he talks and flies, with an easy touch...he makes it simple and plain". The only thing that frustrated me at times was the fact that due to the sheer amount of information and knowledge he wants to impart, he occasionally jumps from one issue to the other, picking up new subjects while seemingly leaving others unfinished.

It is hard to imagine a pilot with more weather flying experience than Captain Robert Buck. And much of this flying was in the old days: in the early years of the Army Air Corp and a young company called TWA. Much of this flying was accomplished without the assistance of modern instrumentation. Captain Buck travelled the world seeking the most ornery weather he could find, and then flew into it time and time again, compiling the experience and collecting the data that no one else had at the time. Captain Buck shares that experience here. This book is interesting and engaging to the flying enthusiast, essential to the VFR pilot, and absolutely priceless to the aspiring instrument pilot. Every discipline and every pastime has its classics, and WEATHER FLYING is, without a doubt, one of the classics of aviation.

The language of WEATHER FLYING is simple and straightforward. The lessons are practical more than theoretical, though Captain Buck keeps his readers briefed on essential weather theory as well. Virtually every weather situation that a pilot can encounter is covered in this book, from the ordinary to the exotic. Then Captain Buck instructs you how to fly it. The concept is simple and direct; the lessons are comprehensive and pragmatic.

In short, this is not a book to read once and then shelve. The lessons are too important to be forgotten. This is a manual to be taken down and read over and over again by any sort of pilot who flies any sort of aircraft.

Jeremy W. Forstadt

... and will remain so after you read this book. Everything in Buck's book is useful but it is tough to remember all of his rules without a solid grounding in meteorology. The cover's subtitle "a practical book on flying in all kinds of weather" is accurate. This book is about practice, not theory. However, after finishing the book, I was disappointed to find myself as ignorant as ever about weather and completely at the mercy of the FAA briefers.