Tools Books

I needed to replace my wife's driver side mirror and the direction I found in this book was perfect. I looked through the rest of this book and they do a pretty good job breaking down each task and there are plenty of pictures to illustrate the steps.

I grew up in the house of a mechanic and always had access to Chilton books. I do all my own automotive work and since discovering the Haynes manuals I can honestly tell you some things Haynes covers in great detail are just remove and replace items in the Chilton Books. I have bought a Haynes Manual for every car I have owned and every car in our family from day one when we bought the car for reference on maintenance. I have yet to not find the information I needed to repair the car when it broke down.
And for a novice the best way to not be confused it to read it again and try to understand what they are actually saying and follow directions exact. Shortcuts are expensive

The descriptions of how to do the work are accurate, but can be hard to follow if you are not used to doing your own work on your car. Some of the pictures could have been more detailed/better angles to identify exactly what to remove during each step.

I am no mechanic, though I have worked on my own cars for years and have done many of my own simple repairs. If something seems too difficult, I am more likely to let a professional do it. BUT, professionals these days are way too expensive for things you could be doing yourself.

For example, I replaced a water punp on my 1998 Taurus. It was not too difficult, but this book provided some useful tips and things to avoid. Pep boys wanted $180-200, though I picked up the part for $30 and did it myself in about one hour. Saving that much is enough to get my off my rump and into the garage.

This book also gave me some very useful information on diagnosing my non-functioning A/C. This included how to pull the blower resistor from under the dash and how to test the connections with a Ohm meter. I bought one at Harbor Freight for $3 and found out that it (the resistor assembly) was bad. Ford sold me a new one for $15 and the A/C was fixed. This cost me $18 total and some sweat, but it would have been several hundred at at repair shop. I'm sure I would have had to pay for hours and hours of diagnosis - all for a simple-to-reach $15 part that I knew nothing about beforehand.

I just (a year ago) spent $600 on some front end parts at a repair shop, but looking through this book, think I could have done it myself for under $100. O'reilly auto will even loan you the special tool needed.

I also have used Chilton's in the past, though not for this car. In my opinion, Haynes is far easier to use and assumes less about the readers skill level.

I recommend fully, especially in the day of the $100+/hour labor charge.

Hiring Great People provides an excellent, common sense approach to handling some of today's more challenging staffing issues. From recruiting to orientation and everything in between, hiring managers can depend on the sound advice presented by Klinvex, Klinvex and O'Connell.

Whether in your briefcase or on the bookshelf, this is a must have for the human resources professional or for any professional involved in selection and hiring. This book is really appropriate for any audience. I have used it as a textbook with my graduate personnel selection classes.

Hiring Great People is a well-written, easy to read book. At the same time, it presents highly technical information in a format which demonstrates how such information can be turned into practice. There are may useful hints, guidelines and forms in the book. As I have indicated above, I have used this book as a text in graduate courses. It is more valuable than books which cost five times as much.

This is not a book about fluff or fads -- it deals with the latest research and technology in the practice of personnel selection in a highly readable fashion. I find myself turning to it repeatedly for advice on topics such as interviewing and competency assessment.

Kevin C. Klinvex, Matthew S. O'Connell, and Christopher P. Klinvex present a guide to creating a more effective hiring process. They cover each step, from defining the job to hiring the best person. The book provides techniques for attracting the right employees through advertising and promotion. It also covers effective use of applications, interviews, testing, and background checks. This book is clear, well-organized, and easy-to-read. While some of the suggestions may be obvious to those who are experienced at hiring, they are presented in a careful, step-by-step way. We at getAbstract recommend this book to those involved in the hiring process in larger companies, from company owners and top managers to human resource professionals. Small business owners who wish to use more sophisticated hiring techniques may also find it useful.

Not another book on hiring! Enough! Can any more be said that hasn't been said already? Can the same information be presented any better than it has before?

I'll admit that I opened this book, part of McGraw-Hill's Briefcase series, with a bias to dismiss the publication as just another also-ran. Surprise! Hiring Great People caught my attention right away and held it for most of the book. Starting with the three-page detailed table of contents, the book was easy to read and easy to use. A Manager's Checklist at the end of each chapter offers a good summary for reality-checking and later reference.

I liked the way each chapter begins with a scenario, usually including dialog, that catches the reader's attention and focuses on the problem to be solved by the chapter's content. Nicely done. An abundance of examples aid in understanding of the authors' points and in the practical application of the knowledge presented. A common feature of the Briefcase books is effective use of icons to call out sidebars and boxes that highlight and amplify the text. The boxes are categorized as Smart Managing (tactics), Caution (warnings), Tricks of the Trade, Key Terms (jargon explained), Examples, Tools (proven procedures), and Mistake Proofing (how to minimize the risk of a bad hire).

The book begins with an emphasis on competency-based job descriptions. Helpful information includes definitions of competencies and advice on conducting a competency analysis. The second chapter jumps right in with the legal stuff that employers must be wary of today. A number of pertinent laws are carefully explained so the reader knows what to do and how to avoid costly mistakes. The chapter on attracting the right employees (note: not just warm bodies) addresses recruiting as well as what today's workers are looking for. The table on page 47 provides information on over a dozen internet sites that can be used for recruiting.

So now we have all these applications coming in. What should we do with them? Chapter 4 shows us how to use those applications as screening tools in our efforts to find the right people to bring in for interviews. Chapter 5 does the same thing with resumes. Frankly, I was astonished at the volume of advice; I learned about tools and procedures that opened my eyes about my own hiring. The next two chapters on interviewing was equally valuable; again, I gained knowledge that I didn't have before. Just when you think you know it all, this kind of book comes along to remind you and give you some more.

Do these applicants really care about working here, or are they just looking for a job? Chapter 8 shows us how to evaluate how motivated that applicant is to perform. The interviewing approaches are most useful, as are the charts and score sheets to help the interviewer focus on what's most important. Testing and background checks were discussed next-good sequencing of chapters. I thought the chapter on testing got a bit too deep in testing methodology for a book like this, but the information is interesting.

The chapter on making the hiring decisions and notifying applicants includes a weighting system that helps put appropriate emphasis on the most important characteristics. I liked the advice about sending polite rejection letters promptly. There are so many applicants that wait a long time-nervously and needlessly. Chapter 12 advises wise ways to bring new employees on board with the right kind of offer of employment and the subsequent orientation process. The final chapter on blended workforces highlighted the alternatives that employers have today, using part-timers, job-share, and contingent workers to get the job done.

Our three kids, 6,8,and 10, just love the fun activities from this book. Their teachers tell us to keep doing whatever it is because they go to school and tell everyone about it. My husband and I like the fact that we don't have to think up the great ideas, we just have to do them and have fun too.

We had tried family devotionals before and our children's attention span barely made it through reading a few verses. We never had time to discuss and apply it to their level of understanding until we came across this series by Heritage Builders. Fun activities are interspersed that all relate to the message and have our kids requesting family nights time and time again. Instructions are given to help you adjust for various age levels. We started these when our kids were about 4 and 7 and usually set aside one night per month. Of course it would be even better to do weekly! Currently we are into the "Holiday" volume which is great too!

This book has made it fun for all of us to do "family nights" (devotions). In fact, the kids are always asking when we're doing it again! They look forward to it, and their enthusiasm makes our job - raising them with sound Biblical principles - that much easier. With this book at your disposal, you'll never have to struggle with family devotions again!

If you have been looking for a way to start family devotions, but did not know where to start, this is a must. The book outlines several inovative family night sessions for kids of all ages. You will not only have fun, but you will be able to clearly instruct your children to better know our Savior, Jesus Christ.

This is a unique, classic piece of literature that anyone interested in ecology and biodiversity will find fascinating. it is a real cutting edge piece from the late 60's/early 70's that gives great perspective to the modern efforts to save the planet.

Most of the tools and sources have given way to the churning forces of capitalism but the spirit and philosophy remain untouched.

Part tool catalog, part survival manual and part psychedelic novel, The Last Whole Earth Catalog is a snapshot of human psyche circa 1972.

There is much unmined treasure in this pulp catalog, especially for those interested in connectivity, systems design and sustainability.

448 pages, amply illustrated, generous editorial content includes everything from a organic recipes to lessons in economics and philosophy. Printed on newsprint.

I married a woman from Big Sur and was inadvertantly thrown into the counter-culture revolution. As an observer, mostly. Anyway, I owned several WEC and pored over the pages endlessly. Now, as a man in my 60s,
I decided to relive my past. Firstly, I want to say how incredibly pompous and ridiculous Buckminster Fuller was.
What he wrote is total gibberish. Any parts of the catalog that delt with environmental change were very pretentious and lecturing. No wonder things proceeded at a snail's pace.
Those subjects that are about tools are written in a straightforward manner.
I also realized that this is the first time I am truly reading this book.

The first issue of The Whole Earth Catalog surfaced in the fall of 1968. Original copies of that issue are now next to impossible to find. The earliest issue that's not impossible to find is the Fall, 1969 issue. WEC was founded by Stewart Brand, who was associated with Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters, so you know what you're getting catered to the counterculture of the time. In 1971, thinking the Whole Earth Catalog legacy was coming to an end, Brand issued The Last Whole Earth Catalog. Since I bought the Fall, 1969 issue of the WEC first, I was in utter shock just how thick the LWEC is, with over 400 pages! I was born in 1972, so there was no way I could experience the late '60s/early '70s personally myself, but nothing stopped me from digging information from that era, be it books, movies, television, music, etc. which I did. Here in the Last Whole Earth Catalog you could find just about everything under the sun, from living out in the country, books on fringe literature, architecture, different magazines, underground publications, how to survive in the wilderness, etc. Tools, camping gear, woodstoves, water pumps, boots, how to fix cars, purchase used school buses and trucks, how to fix a Volkswagen, and on and on. I also like the fact The Last Whole Earth Catalog realized not everyone associated with the hippie/counterculture movement were vegetarians or vegans, so they even sold books on how to raise livestock and how to store meat and so much more. They even touched upon communal living, including the real Drop City which was in Colorado. They even sold Foxfire before it was ever a series of books, but a Georgia high school student project publication, which chronicled old-time Southern and Appalachian living. Technology was even touched upon, and in an era where synthesizers were still associated with something like W. Carlos' Switched-On Bach, you get to see in there pictures of several synthesizers of the time, including a big modular Moog (like what Keith Emerson used), an ARP 2500 (like what Pete Townshend used, and was seen on Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind), a VCS-3 (like used on Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, as well as artists like Jean Michel Jarre, Klaus Schulze, and Tangerine Dream) and a Buchla. There's even an interview with Wendy Carlos (then known as Walter Carlos), and her opinion on electronics and of the album she's best known for: Switched-On Bach. The Last Whole Earth Catalog was never afraid to touch upon controversial subject matters, and there are the occasional pages with disturbing photos. Certainly a lot of the books the catalog offered had long been out of print (and some surprisingly still in print you can get here on Amazon), but of course, you can still get a lot of these out of print items used online. It was strange this was to be called The Last Whole Earth Catalog, because it got resurrected many times in the coming years: The Whole Earth Epilog, The Updated Last Whole Earth Catalog, The Next Whole Earth Catalog, the Millenium Whole Earth Catalog, and a series of computer software catalogs in the mid 1980s. Both the Whole Earth Catalog and The Last Whole Earth Catalog are simply wonderful historical items which I'm glad I got. This is truly a wonderful book/catalog for those wanting to go back in time.

Lifelong learning expert Nancy Merz Nordstrom and critically acclaimed writer Jon F. Merz present Learning Later, Living Greater: The Secret for Making the Most of Your After-50 Years, a guide to reaping the benefits of lifelong learning. From why learning is important to stimulate activity in the aging brain, to pros, cons and distinctions of classroom learning as compared to learning through educational travel or through volunteer work, to where to find the most innovative lifelong learning programs, Learning Later, Living Greater effectively demystifies the fun and life-enriching promise of improving one's knowledge. Highly recommended.

Filled with useful tips and lots of resources, this book helps the reader makes his retirement years happy, productive years. A must read.

Joan Fitting Scott
Skinning the Cat: A Baby Boomer's Guide to the New Retiree Lifestyles

Lifelong learning expert Nancy Merz Nordstrom and critically acclaimed writer Jon F. Merz present Learning Later, Living Greater: The Secret for Making the Most of Your After-50 Years, a guide to reaping the benefits of lifelong learning. From why learning is important to stimulate activity in the aging brain, to pros, cons and distinctions of classroom learning as compared to learning through educational travel or through volunteer work, to where to find the most innovative lifelong learning programs, Learning Later, Living Greater effectively demystifies the fun and life-enriching promise of improving one's knowledge. Highly recommended.
[....]

Learning should be a lifelong project, according to the author of `Learning Later, Living Greater,' Nancy Nordstrom. She herself went back to school at the age of 51 for a masters degree and then pursued a new career.

She spells out three types of learning: learning in the classroom, through educational travel, and through community service. "Lifelong Learning expands your intellectual, social, spiritual and physical horizons," she writes. In other words, mind can continue to grow even at an age when it is expected to decline.

Nordstrom cites research that mental decline as we age is not automatic. Instead, it is entirely possible to grow new brain cells as old ones age, if we give ourselves the stimulation of challenges. Active lifelong learning can provide a "Learning Vaccine", in the words of Dr. Paul Nussbaum, a researcher and author of "Brain Health and Wellness."

In an interview, Nordstrom called "lifelong learning a health club for the mind, body and spirit." She says medical science has begun to find evidence that the brain will grow, adapt and repair itself, if it is kept stimulated and challenged.

Nordstrom's book and website, learninglater.com, give tons of suggestions for meaningful volunteer work. Many new retirees are looking for more interesting volunteer assignments that have more responsibility.

Those over the age of 50 or so generally have a void once child rearing is done, and this is where "lifelong learning can step in to fill the void. Being engaged in lifelong learning enlarges the scope of our interests, provides opportunities to meet new people, keeps us current and active, expands our horizons, and provides opportunities to develop new ideas and handle change."

This book is a must read as you will pick up many many investment strategies. I read the book cover to cover in 2 days and wrote down several ideas which am now incorporating in my trading strategy. It has made me a lot more $$$ than what I paid for the book.
Definitely worth every penny!

a very interesting books that provide an insider's view, hope more books like this could be put on market

I have been reading Michael Brush columns for years and his flair for writing intelligent straight forward editorials and articles is not only educational for the amatuer investor, it is remarkably insightful, honest and right to the point captivating the interest of investment pro's. I highly recommend this book as money well spent (and invested)

Great book and invaluable resource. Wish I had it a few years ago when I started investing. It would have saved me a lot of money. The book is full of useful market insights that can only come from those who are there every day. I particularly liked the chapter on what to do when stocks blow up, since it is too easy to get scared out of a good position in times like those. Likewise, the chapter outlines the typical sell off scenarios that are actually great buying opportunities, and it tells you how to identify them.

Lynn Riggs Palfi has written a beautiful book filled with real-world spells. This is no Witchcraft 101 book, folks. In this book you have quite a few spells that have worked for Ms. Palfi and she gives you the tools to help them work for you. If you are Wiccan, there are some "remember the three-fold rule" notes here and there, which is fine, but we're not all Wiccan and don't all need the reminders - still, I have yet to find a book like this out there anywhere and will be using many of these cauldron-spells for years to come.

Truly a wonderful and needful book for every Pagan. Tons of fantastic Cauldron receipes, which desperately needed to be written. I am so thrilled to finally have a Cauldron spell book that is jammed packed with lots of spells, potions and more. This book is now one of my favorites and would recommend every Pagan, Wiccan and Druid to get this. Written from the heart and so easy to read and understand as well. Thank you.

This is honestly the BEST book I have read on Witchcraft in a long time. This book is filled with nothing but some of the best spells, fixes and great conjuring.

Personally, the cauldron has always been my favorite tool to use in my spell casting -- so I thought, why not check what this book is made of? Great spells for everything from brewing a great love potion, to conjuring protection, conjuring abundance, conjuring protection -- to brewing great mixtures for anything you can think of. Literally spell after spell. I find myself referring back to it for spells all the time now.

Much Love & Many Blessings,
Thorn Nightwind

This is a wonderful book - packed with spells and potions for every situation, and the first book I've seen devoted to using a cauldron. Whatever you may need to do, be it blessing, healing, protecting, or banishing, you can find a spell in here. Spiritual bath recipes are included. There is even the occasional soup recipe! This is a must-have reference book for every kitchen witch's library! I'm looking forward to more works from this author.

I liked this book. It covers a lot of the Linux basics that many of the others WON'T cover. What I didn't like is a 98 page section on modem compatibility. This info is available on the web and those pages could have been used for something else. On the whole, the book is good for beginners who have no experience with setting up a Linux desktop in KDE or Gnome (bear in mind, this desktop setup is mostly geared to asthetics) and I enjoyed reading it.

In Linus Desktop Starter Kit, computer expert and professional consultant John Lathrop has assembled everything a user must know to install, configure, and get started with Linux. This complete book/cd-room kit covers all major distributions available, including Red Hat Linux, Caldera OpenLinux, TurboLinux, and SuSE Linux. Lathrop writes in an engaging, easy-to-understand, non-technical style and offers comprehensive, detailed, step-by-step instructions. Linus Desktop Starter Kit is a hassle free, highly recommended guide and reference that will be deeply appreciated by all who are new to Linux, and has a wealth of valuable material for even the experienced Linux user.

This book is very clear and provides step-by-step guides. That's all you need to get familiar with Linux.

I have an AMS Roadster that gave me problems when installing red hat 6.2. I know that the red hat cd I had was good because it worked for my desktop. Knowing that laptops can be a struggle I got this book, one because it already had a good rating, and two, it comes with 4 versions of Linux! I had already tried the cumbersome method of downloading it off the net (just my opinion). I've already got the Caldera up and installed in one hour and all of the author's directions worked like a recipe book! I don't think this is as extensive of a book on linux as is readily available, but it seems to be the best book for the win 32 user that's trying to get up and running.

This book explains the lithic forms and reduction seqences as clearly as anyone, and better than most. Definitely one for the archaeologists reference shelf, and good for students.

This is a must have primer for anyone learning about stone tool manufacture. Andrefsky adeptly informs the reader of all the major aspects of non-micro lithic analysis, and I plan to require this book if when I teach lithics in the future.

The best book on the authentication and dating of stone items I have ever seen. A complete guide suitable for study or browsing. I even read mine in bed!!!

Andrefsky, pulls together great narration and drawings that make complex physics look easy. This book will help any one understand what is involved in lithic tool production, and shed some light and interesting insight for those that consider themselves advanced in lithic tool study. This is a great addition to the cambridge books on archaeology.

I bought the book to help me in my internship as a marriage/family therapist and discovered that it is better than a textbook and a lot more fun. Deborah and Jerry Meints give specific tools to move our relationships forward so we never again have to return to the old battleground of conflict. It's informative and playful, but best of all - it works. One copy isn't enough. Love Tools is now a staple on my desk in my therapy practice as well as in my home for continued harmony in my marriage. Linda Prejean MFTI

If I had not stumbled upon a copy of Deborah & Jerry Meints brilliantly written book, my marriage would have been doomed. My husband and I read the book together, discussed the easy-to-use communication tools described in the book and implimented them into our lives. You cannot imagine how our relationship has changed. Just knowing how to manage our "Cast of Characters Witin" and recognizing when our "Ogre Witch" comes out has added humor and passion back into our relationship. I am practicing the art of the "Olympic Apology" on a weekly basis! Thank you Deborah & Jerry for bringing love back into my marriage.

This book offers excellent tools for working on your marriage.
Most couples fight because they just don't understand each other. After sharing this book you will have learned a new language that you both understand.
The exercises were direct and easy to put into practice. A must for couples of all ages.

This book is written by married therapists who know how to talk to real people. The exercises and illustrations were fun and easy to remember. My husband loves it because it is easy to read and the tools work! Finally, a book on communication that communicates. Saved me years of therapy!